Vizag’s Gig Workers Seek Help From Joint Collector
Gig workers have put forward a set of demands aimed at improving their working conditions and ensuring fair treatment. They are seeking immediate restoration of rider IDs removed, as this has impacted their ability to earn a living.
VISAKHAPATNAM: Around 40,000 gig (delivery) workers making deliveries for Swiggy and Zomato in Visakhapatnam district have sought support from joint collector K. Mayur Ashok.
They say that despite working hard every day, they lack job security, stable income, or social benefits. Many say they have taken up gig work as despite having higher education, they have failed to find employment.
Workers, who have been on the job for over seven years, say they have no support system when things go wrong. Rising fuel costs, living expenses, and unpredictable earnings have led many individuals into financial difficulty. For the past three months, they have tried to meet Swiggy’s management. But no one has responded. They have now submitted a letter to the joint collector listing their concerns. They expressed disappointment with the Labour Commissioner for not taking any action.
Gig workers have put forward a set of demands aimed at improving their working conditions and ensuring fair treatment. They are seeking immediate restoration of rider IDs removed, as this has impacted their ability to earn a living. Another key demand is minimum guaranteed wage to provide financial stability. They want the current strict pick-up time rules to be relaxed, allowing for more realistic delivery expectations.
To make earnings more transparent and fair, they want a uniform incentive policy, with elimination of false notifications that often lead to confusion and penalties. They are requesting that cancellation fees be paid when orders are dropped, as riders invest time and fuel regardless of whether the orders are completed.
The workers are seeking an increase in base fare to at least ₹30, along with a compensation rate of ₹10 per kilometre during regular hours and ₹12 during peak hours, without any deductions.
The gig workers pointed out that when petrol had been ₹76 per litre, their earnings had been decent. But now, petrol is ₹108 per litre. While working hours, order volumes and prices of goods they deliver have increased, their pay has decreased. Another of their key demands is that they all be paid according to the same rate card.