Is a Gig Workers’ Strike Set to Disrupt New Year’s Eve Deliveries?

If you are ordering food or groceries through Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon or Flipkart on December 31, deliveries may arrive late. Gig workers associated with these apps are planning a nationwide strike on New Year's Eve, demanding higher pay, stronger safety measures and reliable social security coverage from platforms and authorities.

The protest call comes from the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. The strike is timed for the year-end rush, when orders usually spike across major Indian cities. Users could face slower service not only for food but also for groceries and e-commerce shipments.

Why gig workers strike is planned for New Year's Eve

Workers say the December 31 action follows a long spell of discontent over what they describe as "deteriorating working conditions". The strike targets large food delivery, e-commerce and home service platforms. It focuses on low and falling earnings, absence of dignified treatment, fears about safety on the road and worries over insecure employment.

Both TGPWU and IFAT, in a statement, noted that, "Despite being the backbone of last-mile delivery, especially during peak seasons and festivals, delivery workers are forced to endure long working hours, falling earnings, unsafe delivery targets, arbitrary ID blocking, lack of job security, and absence of basic welfare protections."

Leaders’ concerns and gig workers strike message

Shaik Salauddin, founder president of TGPWU and co-founder and national general secretary of IFAT, asserted, "Delivery workers are being pushed to the breaking point by unsafe work models, falling incomes, and total absence of social protection." Salauddin further said, "this strike is a collective call for justice, dignity, and accountability. The government can no longer remain a silent spectator while platform companies profit at the cost of workers' lives".

Unions argue that platforms depend on riders during festivals and weekends but do not provide basic protections. They say workers face long shifts and strict delivery timelines, sometimes in hazardous conditions such as heavy fog, heat or rain. App-based allocation systems and sudden ID suspensions are also cited as major stress points for riders.

Key demands behind the gig workers strike

Alongside a better pay structure, the groups want an end to "10-minute delivery" models, which they link with risky driving. They are also pushing for regulated working hours, adequate breaks and respect from both platforms and customers. Another central demand is full job-related and social security benefits for workers and families.

Unions have itemised their demands in several categories, covering safety, working time, grievance redressal and welfare benefits. The main points are captured below.

Christmas disruptions and cities hit by gig workers strike

The New Year's Eve strike call follows protests on December 25, when many delivery workers stayed off platforms. Food orders were badly disrupted in cities such as Gurugram, while Noida and Delhi saw milder impact. Several neighbourhoods reported long waits for meals and groceries during the Christmas holiday.

In Gurugram, the Hindustan Times reported that around 70-80 delivery partners gathered at the Rodeo Drive Market Complex in Sector 47. Protests were also seen near Baani Square in Sector 50, ILD Tower close to Subhash Chowk, Eros City Square in Sector 49 and the HUDA Market area in Sector 46, causing further delivery delays.

One delivery worker was even quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, "If some problem were to happen to us, what would we do? Neither does Swiggy have an ambulance, nor does it do medical checkups," adding, "We don't even have a bathroom. Food delivery companies pay us around Rs 5-6 for each kilometre travelled… fuel expenses take away a major chunk."

Similar action unfolded in Maharashtra on December 25, where many riders logged off platforms. According to Dr. Laxman Aare, general secretary of the Gig Workers Union, an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 delivery riders from platforms such as Zomato and others refrained from work in Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Navi Mumbai.

"Nearly 50 per cent of gig workers in the state heeded our call today," Aare was quoted as telling the Indian Express. "This is a peaceful protest. We are not blocking roads or causing inconvenience to anyone. We've simply chosen not to turn up for work, that's the most non-violent way to express our dissent."

The December strikes are also shaped by recent labour reforms that formally recognise gig and platform workers. Under the revised Code on Social Security, effective November 21, 2025, delivery platforms must contribute between one-two per cent of annual turnover to a Social Security Fund, capped at five per cent of payouts to aggregators and platform workers.

The Press Information Bureau said the fund would support welfare schemes such as health cover, accident insurance and maternity benefits. Aadhaar-linked universal account numbers are also mandated for delivery workers, so benefits can be tracked. While many platforms have welcomed the framework, unions argue that statutory contributions alone do not fix low wages, safety risks and job insecurity.

Worker groups say the New Year's Eve strike is intended to highlight these gaps and push for negotiations on pay and protections. For customers, that could mean delays on December 31, especially in large urban centres. For gig workers and platforms, the protests highlight ongoing tensions over how app-based work is structured and rewarded.