Gig workers' stir: Riders say accidents, shrinking payouts drove strike call; restaurants bypassed apps to deliver orders

MUMBAI: A nationwide New Year's Eve strike to protest low pay and lack of social security benefits elicited a mixed response from delivery workers even as app-based platforms offered festive bonuses in a bid to counter delayed service and manpower shortage. Most customers had no clue about the strike but several orders were inordinately delayed.

Anticipating one of the busiest days for food and grocery delivery platforms and a surge in order volumes, Eternal, Swiggy and Zepto raised pay per order for delivery partners. "Platforms which usually pay us Rs 5-Rs 10 for delivering an order are today offering an incentive in the range of Rs 110-150 per order," said Shaik Salauddin, founder president at Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, which is leading the protest alongside Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers. Aggregators were also offering to waive penalties on order denials and cancellations.




However, a section of workers refused to relent. Siddhesh Patil (name changed on request), said aggregators were flooding them with New Year's Eve offers of incentives and ‘double earnings', "but these targets are impossible to achieve, anyway." Those on strike, however, risked having their IDs blocked by the aggregator as a punitive measure, he added.

Also read: Gig workers launch nationwide strike on New Year's Eve; demand change in pay structure
"On festivals and special days like December 31 and January 1, we don't manage to convert many food delivery orders because restaurants are packed and can't process online orders fast enough," he said. So even if Zomato or Swiggy promise him an extra Rs 90 per order to cover the rush hour 6-10pm dinner slot and guarantee a payout of Rs 2,175 to complete 19 orders in six hours, he'll still fall short of the target, he said. "On an average day, I complete 20 orders between 9am and 11pm. Last New Year's Eve I completed 15 orders with difficulty."

On November 30, Zomato had sent a letter to all its employees assuring them that "no delivery partner will face any obstruction while delivering orders. So, on December 31, 2025, log in without worry and earn up to Rs 3,500." The letter went on to promise workers of on-field assistance to "ensure their safety" and even encouraged them to call the police if they faced interruptions while delivering.

Union leaders interpret the letter as a sign that aggregators now recognise the growing resistance as a force to be reckoned with. Salauddin said that they are urging gig workers to not get tempted by the assurance of higher pay and support the strike. "This is not a genuine solution to long-standing issues of pay cuts, unsafe work pressure, and arbitrary policies," said Salauddin.

Gig workers who power the app economy are protesting pressure from 10-minute delivery models which they say are leading to accidents, injuries and mental stress. They are also seeking an end to arbitrary incentive structures, ID blocking, penalties and continuous reduction in per-order payouts.

To avoid any disruptions amid the face-off between workers and tech platforms, many restaurants are relying on their own apps and in-house delivery fleet, leveraging the situation to gain direct consumers. "We have stepped up focus on our own Wow Eats app and have been sending mass emails to our customers to promote ordering on our app on New Year's Eve," said Sagar Daryani, co-founder & CEO at Wow! Momo Foods. Within the industry, some restaurants are partnering with Shadowfax and Rapido, riders of which are not part of the planned strike, Daryani said.

Kolkata based restaurant Chowman said that it is actively pushing its own app orders so that the firm's in-house fleet can seamlessly support any potential shortfall.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy New Year wishes, messages, and quotes !