Delivery firms brace for gig workers' logout strike on December 31

Delivery and quick commerce platforms are tightening operations and safety measures ahead of December 31 as gig worker unions plan a nationwide log-out strike over pay, conditions and social security

Food aggregators and quick commerce (qcom) players are reaching out to delivery partners after several gig worker unions called for a day-long nationwide strike on December 31. Gig workers plan to log out of delivery apps and stay at home. 

New Year’s Eve is among the busiest days of the year for food delivery and qcom businesses. This time, however, companies are bolstering their preparedness and bracing for potential disruption. Food aggregators Zomato and Swiggy have reached out to delivery agents, stressing safety measures and service continuity. 

As platforms tighten operational readiness and scale up support systems ahead of Wednesday, some are taking additional steps to limit the impact on customers. A source at Eternal, the parent company of Blinkit and Zomato, said the firm is coordinating with local authorities, including police officials, to ensure the safety of delivery partners who choose to work during the strike. 

Zomato has also reached out directly to delivery partners and constituted a quick response team, alongside providing an emergency contact and SOS button for assistance during peak hours.  

Business Standard has seen a copy of the communication sent to delivery agents. 

At Swiggy, a source familiar with developments said the company is maintaining constant communication with restaurants on its platform to draw up contingency plans, manage order volumes and ensure deliveries remain within expected timelines.

In anticipation of possible disruptions, a restaurant partner listed on both Swiggy and Zomato said it is likely to deploy in-house staff to fulfil deliveries. The partner added that other restaurant businesses are also expected to adopt similar strategies if delivery worker shortages emerge. 

Queries sent to Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, BigBasket, Amazon Now and Flipkart Minutes had not received responses at the time of publication. 

As in previous years, qcom companies are setting up “war rooms” and hiring additional ground staff -- including pickers, packers and delivery partners -- to manage the surge in orders. In 2024, Blinkit recorded its highest-ever daily order volume during the same period, alongside peak orders per minute and per hour. Zepto reported a 200 per cent jump in orders compared with 2023, while Swiggy Instamart also logged its highest-ever order count on December 31, double the previous New Year’s Eve sales.

With a sharp spike in demand expected again, platforms are encouraging new gig workers to sign up, promising earnings and incentives of up to ~4,000 or more in a single day. 

Gig worker demands 

Through the strike, workers are protesting low pay structures, poor working conditions, the lack of medical facilities, emergency support and social security, long working hours, and the arbitrary deactivation of IDs. Unions leading or participating in the protest include the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) and the Gig Workers Association. 

GIPSWU has also sent a memorandum to companies including Zomato, Swiggy, Flipkart, Zepto, Blinkit and BigBasket, outlining its demands. Business Standard has seen copies of the memorandum. However, the union has yet to receive a response from any of the companies, said Nirmal Gorana Agni, GIPSWU’s national coordinator. 

The union has additionally written to the Union labour and employment minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, listing 15 demands. These include the immediate withdrawal of 10-20 minute delivery mandates; fixing a minimum per-kilometre rate of ~20 across platforms; emergency leave and comprehensive maternity benefits for women; an end to arbitrary ID blocking and punitive rating systems; and a guaranteed minimum monthly earning of ~24,000, among others. 

Gig workers had also staged a strike on Christmas Day, December 25. On its impact, some platforms acknowledged operational challenges but said these were minimal as most workers remained on duty. Restaurants and cloud kitchen chains, however, said the disruption was far more serious.