Over 50 stores of Zomato’s 10-min grocery delivery app Blinkit are currently closed in various areas of Delhi-NCR as delivery partners protest the most recent modifications to their payment structure. Riders signed onto Blinkit when the fees was Rs 50/per order, which was earlier reduced to Rs 25, and now finally to Rs 15 under Blinkit’s new payment structure.
The gig economy is booming in India. As the number of self-employed in India increases, so does the risk of exploitation. It is important to establish measures to prevent exploitation of gig workers in India. To this end, the government should establish clear guidelines to protect gig workers. Rights such as minimum wage and benefits. In addition, companies that employ temporary workers should be held accountable for ensuring their workers are treated fairly.
Gig workers across the country have been demanding fair wages, work conditions and employee benefits from large companies like Swiggy, Zomato, Ola, Uber and Urban Company for a long time. While these companies rake in valuations of billions of dollars off their riders’ hard work, these workers continue to be stuck in unregulated and exploitative structures.
One of the factors contributing to the exploitation of contract workers in India is the lack of government regulation and protection. Another problem is the lack of permanent governance structures in digital job platforms, which renders authority figures invisible and prevents employees from socializing and organizing for better working conditions. While the gig economy offers flexible working opportunities, it’s important to address the negative impact of in this growing industry. In addition, education and awareness campaigns should be carried out to inform gig workers of their rights and enable them to demand better treatment. Given the worrying trend of exploitation of contract workers in India, proactive steps must be taken to address this critical issue.
As young people who are dependant on the labour done by gig workers, what are your thoughts on the issue? Have you ever had an experience where you interacted with a gig worker and found out about their work conditions? What would your message to big corporations be?