Gig Economy

Delivery workers say companies have not communicated any changes to timelines or incentives, even as quick-commerce platforms remove 10-minute delivery claims from consumer-facing apps

India's fascination with instant delivery is not unique. It took root during the pandemic, when lockdowns made rapid doorstep access to essentials a necessity

A LocalCircles survey shows strong consumer backing for curbing 10-minute delivery promises, amid safety concerns, even as medicines remain the top product for rapid delivery

The Gig Workers Association on Tuesday welcomed the decision by quick commerce platforms to roll back the ten-minute delivery promise, saying the move recognises that extreme delivery timelines put unsafe pressure on delivery workers. In a statement, the association said the ten-minute delivery model forced workers to rush, take risks on the road and work long hours due to constant pressure created by incentives, ratings and order allocation on apps. "However, workers are often paid the same amount for a multi-order delivery as for a single order. In one such case, a worker was paid only Rs 19.30 for delivering two orders together. This increases risk and workload without any additional compensation," it said. The association further said that the creation of a permanent institutional mechanism for collective dialogue between workers, platforms, and the government is a necessity. Adding that such a mechanism is necessary to address concerns in advance, ensure worker safety and ...

The video comes weeks after Raghav Chadha raised concerns in Parliament about the working conditions of gig and platform workers

A hard stop at 10 minutes puts lives at risk even if the distance from the dark store to an apartment is a just a few 100 metres

Union questioned Zomato's earnings calculations and benefits, saying fuel costs, unpaid leave and limited insurance weakened claims of fair pay in the gig economy

Goyal explained that Zomato gig workers earn a steady income, get welfare support, have flexible schedules, and are not pressured by 10-minute delivery promises, countering claims of exploitation

Eternal Founder Deepinder Goyal on Friday batted for "less regulation" for India's gig economy, arguing that it will eventually help bring more people into the "organised" workforce. The remarks come at a time when gig workers' unions have been staging protests, demanding better payouts and improved working conditions. Goyal also defended 10-minute deliveries, explaining that they are enabled by the density of stores around a user's home and not by "asking delivery partners to drive fast". Eternal owns food delivery major Zomato and quick-commerce firm Blinkit. The Gig & Platform Services Workers' Union (GIPSWU) last month wrote to Union Minister for Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya raising several issues, with a key highlight being their demand to "urgently discontinue 10-20-minute service delivery mandates to prioritise worker safety". In November, the government notified all four labour codes, ushering in major reforms, including universal social security coverage for ..

Draft rules under the new Labour Codes set minimum work-day criteria for gig workers to access social security benefits, prompting unions to seek clarity on eligibility and safeguards

Centre pre-publishes draft labour rules, says gig workers must work 90 days a year to qualify for social security benefits; stakeholders can give feedback

In a post on X, Goyal said concerns around quick deliveries often stem from a misunderstanding of how the system works

A NITI Aayog survey in 2024 revealed that 90 per cent of gig workers lacked savings

Delivery and quick commerce platforms raised per-order payouts and rolled out fresh incentives for December 31, even as gig worker unions called a nationwide strike over pay and conditions

Revised draft rules for the four Labour Codes clarify key provisions such as gratuity on 'wages' and gig worker registration, with stakeholder inputs invited for up to 45 days

Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy are offering more incentives to their delivery partners, a standard practice they follow on festive periods, to ensure minimal disruptions in services on New Year's Eve amid strike call by gig workers' unions. Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU) and Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have claimed that lakhs of workers are set to join the nationwide strike to demand better payouts and improved working conditions. The strike may affect the operations of food delivery and quick commerce firms like Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto on New Year's Eve, when demand is at an all-time high, according to industry sources. Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts of Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on New Year's Eve. The platform has also promised earnings of up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, subject to order volumes and worker availability, people in the know

To ensure safer New Year celebrations, Telangana gig workers are offering free late-night rides for intoxicated individuals across Hyderabad and nearby areas to reduce road accidents

Hotels near metros are seeing a sharp late surge in New Year's Eve bookings and higher rates, while restaurants and delivery firms face disruptions amid a gig workers' strike

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

According to the worker unions, gig workers are demanding clear and fair pay systems and the withdrawal of "10-minute delivery" models, which they say put lives at risk