Zepto delivery workers on strike for a fifth day in Hyderabad over ‘unfair pay, arbitrary penalties’

“This is the fifth straight day of protest, and our message is clear - we won’t back down until Zepto acknowledges the rights and dignity of its delivery workers,” said Shaik Salauddin, Founder President of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union.

“We are demanding fair pay, basic social security, and an end to arbitrary penalties. We have called for a tripartite meeting with the Labour Department and Zepto management to find a solution, but until the company comes to the table, this strike will continue indefinitely,” he added.

According to the union’s letter to the Labour Department, delivery workers now earn as little as Rs 10- 15 per order, despite putting in 12-14 hours daily. There are no guaranteed minimum earnings, and workers must bear their own fuel, data, and vehicle maintenance costs, pushing many into debt.

Among the most pressing concerns is the pressure to meet ultra-fast delivery deadlines, which TGPWU says leads to reckless driving and serious road safety risks. “Speed is rewarded, but safety is ignored,” the letter said.

In response to detailed queries from Moneycontrol, Zepto, however, said that delivery partners in Hyderabad currently earn between Rs 100–120 per hour, and that these earnings have not declined in recent weeks. The company also said that it does not communicate delivery timelines to riders, nor are they penalised for late deliveries. Average delivery speed, according to Zepto, has remained below 20 km/hr over the past six months.

Zepto also rejected the claim that penalties are arbitrary, stating that most suspensions occur in cases involving violations such as account misuse or incomplete deliveries.

Other grievances include unilateral penalties based on customer ratings, opaque account suspensions, absence of ESI and PF coverage, and no access to toilets or rest areas during long shifts. Workers also say they are denied legal recognition as employees, limiting their access to grievance redressal and collective bargaining mechanisms.

The union has demanded that the state labour department conduct an immediate inspection of Zepto’s operations in Telangana, direct the company to comply with minimum wage norms, and mandate the registration of all active delivery workers under the e-Shram portal.

While the TGPWU claims that Zepto has yet to formally engage with the union, Zepto stated that it has initiated discussions on the matter.

"Zepto has had discussions with some representatives from TGPWU who came to the store with the riders and have explained to them our payout structures and have showcased that the overall earning potential of a rider has not been impacted," a Zepto spokesperson said.

While Zepto did not explicitly commit to a tripartite meeting but stated that it expects disagreements to be resolved amicably through dialogue.

Zepto said that while the strike involves a small subset of its workforce, overall operations in Hyderabad have not been disrupted. “We onboarded additional partners to ensure zero disruption — without compromising the standards and support we provide every rider,” a spokesperson said.

As the strike continues to affect deliveries across Hyderabad, all stakeholders – including the company, workers, and government – face growing pressure to find a constructive path forward.