Behind gig workers' strike on New Year's eve: A call for ban on 10-minute deliveries, Pg4

Key Highlights:

• Gig workers from Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, and Zepto initiated a second strike on New Year's Eve, demanding a ban on 10-minute deliveries.
• The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) is leading the strikes, advocating for fair wages, regulation under labour codes, and the right to organize.
• Swiggy and Zomato offered higher incentives to delivery workers during peak hours to maintain operations during the strike.
• The first strike on December 25 saw approximately 40,000 delivery workers participating, which caused delays in 50-60% of orders across multiple cities.

Detailed Insights:

• The strikes highlight the rising conflict between gig workers and platform companies due to uncertain income, low base pay, and rising fuel costs.
• The 10-minute delivery model increases pressure on workers, pushing them to rush deliveries within a stipulated time, which can lead to unsafe working conditions.
• The government notified the Code on Social Security in 2020, aiming to provide gig and platform workers with social security benefits like health, disability, and accident insurance.
• Under the Code on Social Security, 2020, aggregators like Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy and Zomato will have to contribute 1-2% of their annual turnover towards a social security fund for gig and platform workers.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gig Workers: Individuals who perform work outside the traditional employer-employee relationship, often through online platforms.
• Platform Workers: Workers who access organizations or individuals and provide services through an online platform.
• Aggregators: Entities that operate a digital platform or application to connect service providers with consumers.
• Code on Social Security, 2020: Legislation that aims to extend social security benefits to gig and platform workers in India.