Page 2 - Gig Economy

How quick must quick commerce be? Rethinking the 10-minute promise

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

'No paid leave or social security': Gig union slams Zomato CEO's claims

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

Zomato CEO defends gig model, highlights 10.9% pay raise, job flexibility

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

Gig economy needs less regulation: Eternal Founder Deepinder Goyal

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 ..

Labour Ministry publishes draft rules; gig workers' unions seek clarity

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 proposes 90 days work rule for gig workers to get social security

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

Gig workers aren't exploited: Deepinder Goyal as Zomato, Blinkit hit record

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

Gig workers' strike exposes the hard limits of India's quick commerce model

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

Food delivery, qcom firms raise incentives amid gig workers' strike

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

Centre notifies revised draft rules for labour codes, seeks responses

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

Zomato, Swiggy raise gig worker payouts amid New Year's Eve strike call

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

Too drunk to drive? Telangana gig workers offer free New Year rides

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

Quick gateway: Hotels see rise in last-minute bookings ahead of New Year

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 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

Why Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon delivery partners are on strike on Dec 25, 31

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

Food delivery platforms employed 1.37 million in FY24, says NCAER

For every ₹10 lakh of output generated on such platforms, output yielded for the economy is ₹20.5 lakh

India's food delivery sector generated ₹1.2 trn output in FY24: Report

Direct employment by the sector increased to 1.37 million in 2023-24 from 1.08 million workers in 2021-22

Drone delivery could make a big impact in India: Geodnet cofounder

Network offers cm-level accuracy for autonomous vehicles and drones; plans local hardware production and rural coverage expansion

EPFO pension and PF cover to self-employed, gig staff? Here's what we know

The Centre reportedly is planning to ask EPFO to design new provident fund and pension schemes for self-employed and gig workers under the Social Security Code, offering flexible contributions

From margins to mainstream: Gig workers finally get formal safety net

The newly notified labour codes represent a transformative and historic reform for India's gig economy, finally bringing this vast segment of workers under formal regulatory recognition and social security. For the delivery partner dropping off groceries or the driver navigating city traffic, this move signals the end of legal invisibility, transitioning them from the fringes of the "unorganised" sector into a formal social security net. The introduction of uniform employment rights, mandatory appointment letters, and access to benefits such as provident funds, ESIC, and insurance has laid a new foundation for stability and predictability for millions of gig and platform workers across India, experts say. However, the implementation poses operational challenges owing to the fluid and varied nature of gig work, requiring robust compliance mechanisms and behavioural adaptations from both platform companies and workers. "For the first time, this rapidly expanding segment of the ...