Why food delivery and qcommerce services may be disrupted on New Year's Eve

The first strike was staged on December 25, which disrupted Swiggy and Zomato food deliveries during the day in Gurugram and Noida

Food delivery, quick commerce and other app-based services in Delhi-NCR could face disruptions on New Year’s Eve, as gig workers’ unions have called for a strike on Wednesday, citing concerns over pay, safety and working conditions.

 

This is the second such strike in two weeks. A similar protest on December 25, despite limited participation, disrupted Swiggy and Zomato food deliveries during the day and early evening in parts of Gurugram, Ghaziabad and Noida.

Who is organising the strike and why?

Business Standard reported that Wednesday’s strike, as well as the December 25 protest, was called by the Telangana-based Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Karnataka-based Indian Federation of App-based Transport (IFAT) workers union. The action has also received support from the Delhi-based Gig Workers Association (GiGWA).

   

The gig workers have cited non-transparent wage structures, high risks associated with 10-minute deliveries, lack of safety, job insecurity, and the absence of social protection, among other issues.

How many gig workers are expected to participate?

Citing TGPWU president Shaik Salauddin, The Indian Express report said as many as 50,000 workers participated in the strike on Christmas Day, while nearly 150,000 are expected to be part of Wednesday’s strike.  ALSO READ | Too drunk to drive? Telangana gig workers offer free New Year rides

What services are likely to be impacted? 

Based on the December 25 strike, restaurants and cloud kitchens are likely to see the biggest impact if a large number of gig workers participate. During the earlier strike, several platforms acknowledged operational challenges but said these were limited, as most workers remained on duty. Restaurants were the worst affected, particularly in Gurugram.

How are quick commerce firms reacting?

According to a report in The Indian Express, an internal communication sent to Zomato riders ahead of Wednesday’s strike said, “No partner will be stopped from making deliveries.” Zomato has also made arrangements with local authorities.

 

Akshit Behl, growth and investment head at Khadak Singh Da Dhaba, said the restaurant is planning to deliver bulk orders on its own and has communicated this to customers via WhatsApp. He said earnings on New Year’s Eve typically rise to three to four times those on any other holiday, adding that the day also records the highest number of delivery orders.

 

Behl added that several consumers learned from the December 25 strike and placed bulk orders on December 30. However, he said such bulk orders cannot fully make up for the losses that would be incurred in the event of a strike.