New Year’s Eve celebrations in India could face significant disruptions as thousands of gig workers linked with top delivery and e-commerce platforms are gearing up for a nationwide strike. Delivery partners from companies like Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart are planning to go offline or reduce their work, raising concerns about potential delays and service interruptions on one of the busiest commercial days of the year.
The strike, organized jointly by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), with support from various regional groups in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal, and parts of Tamil Nadu, highlights the growing discontent among gig workers regarding declining incomes, increased workloads, and the lack of essential labor protections.
Industry experts caution that the strike on December 31, a day known for high demand in food delivery, quick commerce, and online shopping due to New Year festivities and year-end sales, could significantly impact last-mile delivery services. This could affect restaurants, grocery platforms, and retailers heavily reliant on app-based logistics to meet their revenue goals.
According to the unions, delivery partners are facing pressure to work longer hours as per-order earnings decline. Workers are also raising issues about inadequate insurance coverage, unsafe work environments, arbitrary penalties set by algorithms, and the absence of job stability. Despite being labeled as “partners” and vital to India’s digital commerce landscape by companies, gig workers feel they are treated as expendable labor.
Customers in major cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Kolkata are likely to encounter extended wait times, order cancellations, and limited delivery options throughout the day. The strike is expected to impact several tier-2 cities as well, with regional groups joining the protest.
The unions emphasize that the strike aims to highlight systemic challenges faced by gig workers rather than inconvenience customers. They are urging platform companies to initiate discussions and implement fairer payment structures, social security benefits, and transparent policies.
