No Online Delivery Today? Gig Workers Protest As Rising Fuel Costs Hit App-Based Services; Nationwide Shutdown From…

Gig and platform workers across India said they are going to do a five hour nationwide shutdown of app based services on Saturday, May 16, just to protest rising fuel prices and basically demand better compensation. This strike, organized by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), will run from 12 pm to 5 pm and it is expected to ruffle major services like food delivery, ride hailing, logistics, and quick commerce platforms, including Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, plus other app based operations. The union added that the protest has become necessary because the fuel prices keep going up and have really squeezed workers’ earnings, and day to day survival too.

What Is The Main Reason For This Protest?

As per GIPSWU, the recent jump in petrol and diesel prices, by almost Rs 3 per litre, has sharply raised the operational costs for delivery and transport workers who depend a lot on motorcycles and scooters. The union pointed fingers at global crude oil instability and ongoing tensions in West Asia for the fuel hike, and it said this extra load makes it hard for gig workers to keep afloat themselves. GIPSWU also claims that nearly 1.2 crore gig and platform workers across the country could be directly hit by the increase in fuel spending. Workers say their existing incentives and payout structures no longer cover fuel, maintenance, and those increasing living costs, in a proper way anymore.

What Are The Demands?

The union has, basically, demanded a minimum payment rate of Rs 20 per kilometre for delivery and transport services, either via legal provisions or through talk against negotiations with digital platforms, yeah. GIPSWU President Seema Singh said many workers are already struggling financially and may be forced to step away from the sector if their earnings are not adjusted. The organisation also asked the central and state governments, along with companies running app based platforms, to bring in emergency relief measures and compensation support during the current fuel crisis. The union stressed that quick commerce and food delivery workers are, in particular, exposed because they put in long hours under tough conditions while bearing most of the operational expenses themselves, which is not exactly easy.

Will The Strike Last Longer?

The proposed shutdown is expected to cause temporary disruption for millions of users across the country, and that can mean delayed food deliveries, ride cancellations, and logistics backlogs. The protest comes after earlier nationwide demonstrations by gig workers, they were demanding fairer pay structures, better working conditions, and also removal of those high pressure delivery timelines. GIPSWU warned that if authorities and companies do not respond properly to their demands, workers may push harder with longer strikes and wider protests in the coming weeks, so, watch this space.

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