Thinking of ordering on major e-commerce and food delivery platforms? Hang on! Your order may not be delivered on time. Delivery and gig workers have reportedly announced an all-India strike on Christmas (December 25) and New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2025).
Why Are Delivery And Gig Workers Protesting?
The all-India protest has been called by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. The strike has been called to protest over “deteriorating working conditions” of the workers, according to a CNBC-TV 18 report. The report mentioned that the federations and workers’ unions have also raised concerns over wages, safety, job security, and social protection of the workers in the informal economy.
The protest is being held as delivery workers continue to face long working hours, declining earnings, unsafe delivery targets, arbitrary account deactivations, and a lack of welfare benefits, particularly during peak demand periods and festivals, according to the report.
Delivery, Gig Workers All-India Strike: Platforms Likely to be Impacted
With delivery and gig workers announcing an all-India strike, major platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon, and Flipkart are likely to be impacted on December 25 and December 31, 2025, according to reports.
Delivery And Gig Workers Strike: What Are The Workers Demanding?
According to a statement from the various workers’ unions, the demands of workers include:
1. Fairness and transparency in pay structures
2. Workers want the complete withdrawal of “10-minute delivery” models
3. Follow due process while blocking the account
4. Issuance of improved safety gear and providing accident insurance
5. Assured work allocation without algorithmic discrimination
According to reports, there are also other demands workers are asking for. These include stronger app and technical support, including grievance redressal for routing and payment failures. The workers also demand job security and social security — including health insurance, accident coverage, and pension benefits — and respect and dignity at work, according to reports.
According to a Hindu report, the workers have asked both the Central and state governments to immediately regulate platform companies, enforce labour protections, and implement social security frameworks for gig and platform workers.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
