No Swiggy, Zomato on New Year’s Eve? Delivery workers' union calls nationwide strike today

No Swiggy, Zomato on New Year's Eve? Gig workers’ union calls nationwide strike today

A nationwide strike by platform-based gig workers, led by the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU), has entered its final phase, with delivery workers across India extending their protest on December 31. As many as 100,000–150,000 delivery partners poised to walk out during peak hours today, as per union leadership.

“As many as 100,000 to 150,000 delivery workers are expected to participate in the strike during peak demand hours today, when order volumes are at their highest,” said Shaik Salauddin, founder president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and co-founder and national general secretary of the Indian Federation of App‑Based Transport Workers.

“Workers are mobilising across cities to highlight persistent issues around pay volatility, safety and arbitrary account actions,” he added.

The GIPSWU claims to be India’s first women-led national trade union representing gig and platform workers.

The action comes just days after a Christmas Day strike on December 25 that saw around 40,000 delivery workers participate, leading to notable disruptions in deliveries across Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto in several cities during peak windows before services stabilised later in the day, as Moneycontrol reported earlier.

Queries sent to Swiggy, Eternal, Zepto, Flipkart and Amazon did not elicit an immediate response

Why are delivery workers striking again?

Unions have renewed their protest over issues including falling earnings, unsafe delivery targets, algorithmic control, arbitrary account blocking and lack of social security. A list of 15 demands has been submitted to Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya through a letter by the union’s president Seema Singh and national coordinator Nirmal Gorana.

Delivery workers across major food delivery and e-commerce platforms had carried out the strike earlier on December 25, escalating pressure on platform companies over what unions describe as worsening working conditions in the gig economy.

Participation in the strike is expected from delivery workers in metro cities as well as several tier two cities. If the turnout is large, customers may experience delays or limited availability of deliveries on New Year’s Eve.

What are the demands?

Among the key demands are the discontinuation of 10- and 20-minute delivery service mandates; a minimum per-kilometre rate of Rs 20 for workers associated with platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Flipkart and BigBasket; emergency leave and comprehensive maternity protection for women service workers; and an end to arbitrary ID blocking and punitive rating systems.

The union has also sought a guaranteed minimum monthly earning of Rs 40,000, abolition of peak hours, slot systems and weekend hour limits, and compensation for workers in cases of customer-initiated cancellations.

Other demands include replacing AI-based calls with 24/7 human customer support, ending mandatory pre- and post-task photo uploads and proof-of-work requirements, restoration of company hubs, and limiting women workers’ assignments to a seven-km radius from their homes.

According to GIPSWU, the protest builds on last year's digital strike and reflects the "platform economy's dependence on workers' labour".

In its memorandum, the union warned that continued neglect of gig workers' rights could have serious implications for India's economic growth. "Bharat can't be Viksit until its workers, part of India's booming economy, continue to be exploited," the document stated, invoking the government's own development vision.

Why does the timing matter for platforms and brands?

Christmas and New Year’s Eve are typically among the busiest periods of the year for food delivery and quick commerce platforms. Platforms and sellers usually see a sharp spike in orders for meals, beverages, party supplies and last-minute purchases during this period.

As Moneycontrol reported earlier, D2C brands and sellers recorded record-breaking order volumes over Christmas, driven largely by quick commerce platforms, with some brands reporting 100–150 percent year-on-year growth during the festive window. The expected strike today comes as demand remains elevated heading into New Year’s Eve.

How are platforms preparing for today’s strike?

Platform companies have not publicly outlined detailed contingency plans, but industry executives said companies are closely monitoring participation levels and are prepared to make operational adjustments to manage disruptions.

Platforms like Swiggy, Zomato and Zepto are reportedly offering hefty incentives to delivery workers to ensure availability and keep operations running during high-demand hours today.