On December 31, 2025, India witnessed its largest gig workers’ protest as over 2 lakh delivery partners logged off from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, and other platforms on one of the year’s busiest ordering days. From 7 AM to midnight, workers nationwide demanded fair wages, social security, and an end to dangerous 10-minute delivery pressures that have turned the gig economy into what unions call “systematic exploitation.” The strike exposed deep cracks in India’s booming quick-commerce sector, where workers earn Rs 10,000-15,000 monthly despite 12-15 hour workdays.
Strike Demands & Gig Worker Grievances Breakdown
| Key Demand | Current Reality | Worker Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Wage | Rs 10,000-15,000/month (commission-based) | Demanding Rs 40,000/month fixed salary |
| Working Hours | 12-15 hours daily, no overtime pay | Seeking regulated 8-hour shifts |
| 10-Minute Delivery | Unsafe speed pressure causing accidents | Ban on ultra-fast delivery models |
| Social Security | No insurance, medical support, or leave | Comprehensive benefits package |
| ID Deactivation | Arbitrary blocking without notice | 14-day notice as per Karnataka law |
| Penalty System | Incentive cuts for delays/cancellations | Fair, transparent policies |
The Human Cost Behind Your 10-Minute Delivery
Sanjeev Kumar Sharma, an eight-year veteran of the delivery sector, earns approximately Rs 1,300 daily but takes home just Rs 700-800 after petrol, vehicle maintenance, and meals. According to workers interviewed across multiple publications, the mathematics are brutal: work 12-15 hours, cover fuel and rent, and you’re left with barely enough to feed a family. Explore technology industry impact on TechnoSports.
The pressure intensifies with quick-commerce’s 10-minute delivery promise. Workers report facing penalties for traffic delays, bad weather, or simply needing bathroom breaks. Mahesh, another delivery partner, described missing his children’s mornings entirely: “We start very early and our children hardly see us in the morning. Even on festivals, when others celebrate, we continue working.” This relentless schedule exists because platforms pay per task rather than per hour, making waiting time, low demand periods, and traffic jams unpaid labor.
Why New Year’s Eve? Strategic Timing Explained
The unions—Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), Gig and Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), and Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU)—deliberately chose New Year’s Eve for maximum impact. It’s among the industry’s busiest days, with platforms projecting record order volumes. By striking during peak demand, workers demonstrated their indispensable role while platforms scrambled with lucrative counter-offers. Read more business technology news on TechnoSports.
This followed a December 25 warning strike where 40,000 workers participated, causing 50-60% service disruptions across major cities. According to MediaNama’s investigation, platforms allegedly retaliated by blocking IDs of strike participants—a move workers claim violates Karnataka’s new Platform-Based Gig Workers Act requiring 14-day notice before deactivation.
Platforms Fight Back With Cash Incentives
Rather than addressing systemic concerns, Zomato and Swiggy deployed financial countermeasures. Zomato offered Rs 120-150 per order during 6 PM-midnight peak hours, promising up to Rs 3,000 daily earnings (subject to order volume). They temporarily waived cancellation penalties and denial fines. Swiggy countered with Rs 10,000 earning potential across December 31 and January 1 combined.
These “standard festive protocols,” as companies framed them, successfully divided the workforce. In Delhi-NCR particularly, many workers chose immediate earnings over collective action, attracted by substantially higher payouts. This tactical response highlighted the precarious economic position forcing gig workers into impossible choices: stand in solidarity or pay next month’s rent.
New Labour Codes: Paper Promises?
India’s Code on Social Security 2020, implemented November 2025, formally recognized gig and platform workers for the first time. The framework requires aggregators to contribute 1-2% of annual turnover (capped at 5% of worker payments) toward a Social Security Fund covering accident insurance, health benefits, maternity support, disability coverage, and old-age protection.
Yet workers unanimously report seeing zero practical benefits. Sugam, a Delhi University student working part-time for Rapido, Zomato, and Swiggy, stated: “These companies say work hours are flexible, but that is not true. If you leave your shift or slow down, you are penalized.” The legislation exists but enforcement mechanisms remain absent, leaving the gap between legal rights and lived reality wider than ever. According to Kashmir Observer’s reporting, inflation continues rising while platform pay structures keep falling. Follow Indian tech developments on TechnoSports.
Karnataka’s Groundbreaking Gig Worker Protection Act
Karnataka leads India with its Platform-Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025, specifically addressing account deactivation concerns. Section 14 mandates platforms provide written reasons and 14-day notice before termination, except in cases involving bodily harm. The law additionally requires transparent contracts, grievance redressal mechanisms, and explanations of algorithmic decision-making affecting pay and work allocation.
Despite these protections, workers allege platforms circumvent regulations through “account restrictions” that prevent logging in without technically constituting deactivation. Mahboob Pasha, a Bengaluru delivery worker, reported his Rs 5,000 weekly payout frozen after strike participation, with platform support confirming the action linked to the protest. The Karnataka App-Based Workers’ Union submitted complaints to the Union Labour Department, arguing such restrictions violate both state law and constitutional assembly rights under Article 19.
The Strike’s Mixed Results Across India
Participation varied dramatically by region and company response. Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru saw the highest impact, with unions estimating 170,000+ confirmed participants by evening. However, reports from delivery platforms indicated “business as usual” in many areas, particularly where enhanced incentives succeeded in keeping workers online.
The disruption proved substantial enough to generate national headlines but insufficient to cripple operations completely—a strategic middle ground that demonstrated worker leverage while platforms maintained baseline service. This partial success reflects the fundamental challenge facing gig worker organizing: individual economic desperation competing against collective bargaining power.
Political Response & Government Intervention Calls
AAP MP Raghav Chadha amplified worker concerns, stating on X (formerly Twitter): “Today, gig workers have announced a strike to highlight their grievances. I raised their issues in Parliament earlier in the month, expecting responsible engagement from the platforms.” He urged delivery company management to initiate immediate dialogue and arrive at humane solutions.
The unions formally petitioned Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, demanding regulation of platform companies under comprehensive labour laws, prohibition of unsafe 10-minute delivery models, transparency in wage structures, guaranteed social security, and protection of organizing rights. As of publication, no official government response has addressed these demands substantively.
What This Means for India’s Gig Economy Future
With approximately 7.7 million gig workers nationwide and the sector projected to reach 23.5 million by 2030, according to NITI Aayog estimates, the New Year’s Eve strike represents a watershed moment. The fundamental question remains unresolved: are gig workers independent contractors or employees entitled to labour protections?
Platforms maintain that flexibility defines their model—workers choose schedules and face no firing since they’re “partners” not employees. Workers counter that algorithmic management, mandatory acceptance rates, and penalty systems create employer-employee dynamics without corresponding rights. This classification battle determines whether India’s gig economy becomes a pathway to dignified livelihoods or perpetuates precarious exploitation.
International Context: How Other Countries Handle Gig Work
India isn’t alone facing these tensions. California’s Proposition 22 maintained contractor status while mandating minimum earnings and some benefits. The UK Supreme Court ruled Uber drivers are “workers” entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay. The European Union proposed platform work directives creating presumption of employment unless proven otherwise.
These international frameworks demonstrate various approaches balancing platform innovation with worker protection. India’s challenge involves adapting these models to its unique labour market context, vast informal economy, and rapid digitalization pace—all while platforms enjoy significant political and economic influence resistant to regulatory constraints.
