'Stop the 10-minute delivery option', Gig workers on strike today; what are their demands?

The countdown to the New Year has begun. In a few hours, the entire world will be celebrating the arrival of 2026. However, those planning to celebrate New Year's Eve, from online shopping to party planning, may face a major setback.

Yes, delivery workers, including Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, and Flipkart, have announced a nationwide strike ahead of New Year's Eve. Consequently, problems with everything from ordering food for New Year's parties to online delivery may arise.

Which cities will be affected?

This strike is being led by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and the Indian Federation of App Best Transport Workers. It is expected to impact major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Deliveries in tier-two cities like Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Indore, and Patna may also be affected.

Strike by over 1 lakh workers

Regional unions from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi NCR, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu have also participated in this strike. They claim that today, more than 100,000 delivery workers across the country will either not log in to the app or will only be active for a short time.

Why is the strike happening?

It should be noted that a strike by all workers was also observed on Christmas Day. The union says that despite the increased demand for gig workers, their working style remains unchanged. Companies neither pay them adequately nor guarantee their safety. This strike has been called to address the poor conditions of delivery workers.

Due to the 10-minute delivery model, gig workers become victims of road accidents. Despite delivering day and night in the sun, heat, cold, and rain, they do not receive benefits like accident insurance, health insurance, and pension from the companies.

Gig Workers' Demands

The statement issued by the workers includes nine key demands:

A fair and transparent pay structure should be implemented.

The 10-minute delivery model should be immediately discontinued.

Undue ID blocks and penalties should be prohibited.

Necessary security gear and measures should be provided.

There should be no discrimination based on algorithms; everyone should get equal work.

There should be respectful treatment from platforms and customers.

There should be no breaks during work and no overtime.

Apps and technical support should be robust, especially for payment and routing issues.

Social security measures like health insurance, accident cover, and pension should be ensured.

Who are gig workers?

Delivery workers are considered gig workers. These are employees who receive a salary for their work. Gig workers play a vital role in everything from the IT sector to e-commerce. However, they are not paid adequate wages, nor are their safety ensured by companies.