ON APRIL 26, OVER 150 GIG WORKERS WORKING WITH BLINKIT - an online instant delivery app owned by Zomato - went on a strike to protest policy changes by the company. The workers had a list of eleven demands, including higher wages, availability of shaded areas and water, and cotton uniforms, among other things. The company, however, responded by blocking their worker IDs. Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (‘GIPSWU’) - a trade union working to improve the conditions of the gig economy - alleges that the company also sent a representative to intimidate the workers by threatening police action, and demanded that they sign affidavits vowing never to strike again. They complain that this is unconstitutional and exploitative of labour laws.
As India prepares for an intense summer, the National Disaster Management Authority (‘NDMA’) has issued red alerts for heatwaves and released safety guidelines to help citizens stay protected. However, delivery personnel, who travel long distances on bikes and scooters, are expected to work through peak heat hours, often without access to paid breaks, washrooms, rest stops, or any heat-related compensation. To further exacerbate the issue, Blinkit’s new incentive guideline has made it compulsory to work during peak heat hours (between 12 noon to 4 PM). The protest by gig workers in Varanasi was borne out of contempt for the changed incentive structure. The pay-per-order for the workers has also been reduced significantly. The workers demanded an increase in the pay rate and reinstatement of the previous incentive structure.
“We did not have elaborate demands, we just demanded fair wages,” said Santosh Jaiswal, one of the protesting workers, “I have worked with the Blinkit store in my locality since its inception. But now that their workforce has increased, they have decreased our wages.” Jaiswal alleges that this reduction in wages, while the company's service and profits have increased, constitutes a violation of human rights and exploitation. Once the owner of a kirana store which was slowly put out of business because of rising e-commerce, the 45-year-old has now been left looking for a new occupation. “They blocked my ID. They have reactivated the IDs of those who signed affidavits vowing not to protest again. A lot of the workers had to comply out of necessity. Those of us who didn’t have our IDs permanently blocked.”
GIPSWU also alleges that the company has sent representatives to threaten and intimidate the protesting workers with police action.
Nirmal Gorana, the organiser at GIPSWU, calls the blocking of worker IDs unconstitutional. “Article 19 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the citizens the right to protest. Daily wage gig-workers cannot afford to have their IDs randomly blocked.” The union has organised protests, both in person and online, against the unfair blocking of worker IDs. “To overcome blocked IDs, workers often make new IDs in the names of their family members. This makes it impossible for the worker to prove their status as a recognised gig worker of the company, preventing them from being able to access insurance,” Gorana said.
The effect of heat
In 2024, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported 360 heatstroke-related deaths in India, out of which about 25 were in Delhi. The workers are known to get heat-related rashes, sunburns, heatstrokes, and other health issues. As the temperature reaches extreme highs, outdoor workers bear the brunt of the heat.
“No monetary compensation is given to us in the heat, even when it crosses 50° C,” said a twenty four year old gig worker with Zomato, Blinkit’s parent company, and an online food and delivery services app. The protesting workers demand heat protecting equipment and shaded areas with basic amenities such as drinking water, washrooms and fans. “In summer, one feels thirstier. But for us (workers), there is limited access to cold or clean drinking water,” the Zomato worker told The Leaflet, “Public water coolers have rules against filling water bottles. We have to often rely on the generosity of customers.”
A survey conducted by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (‘TGPWU’) and HeatWatch studied the effect of extreme heat on gig workers. The survey report revealed the lack of sanitary public toilets as a significant issue, especially for menstruators. Further, there is a lack of access to basic conveniences, such as cooling facilities, physical spaces for rest, rehydration solutions, and skin infection relief medicines.
The report also notes that workers lack access to heat-protective clothing and footwear. The dark colour of the uniforms reportedly causes more heat absorption. Riding on motorbikes/scooters for long hours in the heat causes sweat, which is compounded by using protective equipment like helmets. Excessive sweat reportedly adversely impacts the drivers’ grip over the bike/scooter handles and their ability to apply the brakes, thereby increasing the chances of accidents. The protestors in Varanasi have raised demands for breathable cotton clothing. The company has not responded to any of the workers’ demands, or to queries regarding the situation.
The company uniform is sold to the workers. The companies also sell customised weather protective gear, such as raincoats and jackets, on the delivery partner app. They offer no complimentary amenities to the workers. Further, some companies also demand frequent selfies as proof of wearing the company uniform.
Zomato had previously responded to the heat by claiming that it has set up rest stops for the workers across Delhi. However, a 27-year-old gig worker who has been working for Zomato for the past three years alleged that these rest-stops have been futile. “We are paid on a per-order basis. If we do take a break at the stops, we lose our wages. The rest stops are useless unless the company accounts for the breaks.”
Rikta Krishnaswamy, the Coordinator for the All India Gig Worker Union (‘AIGWU’) Delhi, added, “The rest stops are a PR tactic and nothing more. The workers end up seeking shelter under trees and sheds.”
Apekshita Varshney, the founder of HeatWatch, a non-profit working to tackle the threat of heatwaves and their impacts on communities explained that the challenge was a layered one, “The thinning green cover of the city makes it harder for outdoor workers to seek shelter from the sun. The plantation drives focus on growing beautification trees, such as palm, which provide no shade.”
Varshney also explained that the economic background of the gig workers further affects their livelihood. “They hail from lower economic strata and usually have poorly ventilated housing in densely populated settlements. The tin/tarpaulin material tends to trap heat, which makes it hard for the workers to cool down post-work,” she said. “The city observed warm nights, and there was no method to seek respite outside during the night.” The problem is more complex than it first seems, she explained.
The impact of rain
A 22-year-old worker with Zept, an online grocery delivery app offering 10-minute delivery services for groceries, fruits, vegetables, personal care, and electronics, alleged that there was a lack of basic amenities. He suggested that companies must provide necessities such as insulated bottles, and “should be lax with the timings.” He also noted that weather conditions cause delays in deliveries. “For instance, the brakes don’t work properly during the rain, and the roads are slippery. How can we deliver within 10 minutes under these conditions? The customers tend to be empathetic about rain-related delays, but the companies care more about ensuring fast deliveries than about us (workers).”
“The company only gives us a minimal compensation charge in the rain,” said a twenty six year old delivery partner for Swiggy, “They charge the customer a higher ‘rain surge fee’, but we only receive a fraction of the amount.” Various delivery partners across companies said they received an average of Rs. 15- 20 surge benefit per order.
Krishnaswamy explained that while the app promises the rider up to Rs. 50 surge charge; in reality, it is on a sliding-scale basis. The pay received depends on the distance and the intensity of the rain. The delivery partners get no say in the surge benefit received and have no means to redress in case of insufficient compensation.
“At best, they can contact the chatbot, which offers little support. The people behind the chatbots are also just employees,” Krishanaswamy told The Leaflet. “There are larger costs stemming from working in extreme conditions, including bodily wear and tear, exhaustion-related sickness, and vehicle costs. The wait time for orders and traffic also increases. The ‘surge charge’ does not even begin to cover the expense added for the workers.”
She further added that the impact of “hazardous weather conditions is only a subset of the issues that gig workers face because they lack basic employment status.”
Former Blinkit delivery personnel thirty seven year old Shiv Narayan Chaurasia, who had his ID blocked, demanded accountability from the government. “We have written to the courts and the labour department. We hope for the resolution of our issues, but hope is bleak.” The suspended workers continue to demand recognition of workers' right to form unions and strike, as guaranteed under Article 19, and the establishment of a board/mechanism to safeguard the rights of all Blinkit workers.
A query sent to Zomato by the reporter seeking a comment has gone unresponded. This piece shall be updated when they do.
