Gig Workers Union Holds 5-Hour Shutdown Demanding Minimum Wage Increase to Match Rising Fuel Prices

The union said workers associated with platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter, Amazon Flex, Dunzo and Urban Company travel long distances daily while bearing fuel, servicing and maintenance expenses on their own – many spend between 10 and 14 hours every day on congested roads in difficult weather conditions.

“Among the nearly 60 crore workers engaged in the unorganised sector, around 1.2 crore gig and platform workers are among the worst affected sections,”  National Coordinator Nirmal Gorana said, because their incomes are directly linked to fuel consumption and vehicle usage.

The protest also comes amid broader concerns over the rapid expansion of India’s gig economy. According to NITI Aayog, India had around 77 lakh gig workers in 2020-21 with the number projected to rise to more than 2.3 crore by 2029-30. The union has submitted memorandums to the Government of India and several digital platforms seeking immediate intervention, revised delivery charges and fuel compensation for workers.

The union said the proposed shutdown was intended as a peaceful protest to highlight the financial difficulties faced by gig workers and appealed to the public and civil society organisations for support.

In Bengaluru, cab drivers and delivery workers said the latest increase would reduce already shrinking monthly savings and make it harder to sustain themselves under current incentive structures.

In Odisha, panic buying at fuel stations created long queues and disrupted transport operations, with gig workers reporting delays of several hours just to refuel vehicles.

Kamalakanta Barik, a delivery worker in Bhubaneswar, said waiting for fuel had begun affecting work hours and earnings. “If we spend hours just to refuel our vehicle, how do we devote time to work and earn a living?” he said.