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Gig Delivery Workers Strike Across India as Platforms Boost New Year’s Payouts

Unions have asked the Labour Minister to regulate platforms under the newly notified social security code.

Overview

  • Workers linked to Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto and Amazon joined a nationwide walkout on December 31 under the banner of IFAT and TGPWU.
  • Union demands include restoring an earlier payout system, scrapping 10‑minute delivery targets, ending arbitrary ID blocking, regulating algorithms, and providing social security.
  • Swiggy and Zomato announced sharply higher peak‑hour payouts for December 31, with Swiggy offering up to ₹105 per order from 6–10 pm and Zomato up to ₹100 in the same window.
  • Quick‑commerce services such as Instamart, Blinkit and Zepto also offered extra incentives to shore up delivery capacity.
  • Union leaders cite about 40,000 workers joining a December 25 action and allege ID blocking and use of third‑party couriers, while analysts estimate a broad strike could cut orders by 10–20% and trim revenues by up to 0.7%.