Gig workers of Swiggy, Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon & others announce mega strike on Dec 31st

The gig economy in India is bracing for a significant disruption as thousands of delivery partners and platform workers have called for a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025. This coordinated action, led by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), targets major players including Swiggy, Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart. The protest aims to leverage the high demand of New Year’s Eve to pressure companies into addressing long-standing grievances regarding working conditions.

One of the primary drivers of the strike is the controversial "10-minute delivery" model. Workers argue that these ultra-fast delivery targets are inherently unsafe, forcing riders to navigate traffic at dangerous speeds and increasing the risk of accidents. Beyond safety, the unions are demanding a transparent and fair pay structure. They claim that while company profits and order volumes have surged, the net earnings of delivery partners have consistently declined due to opaque algorithmic controls and reduced per-order commissions.

The strike also highlights the lack of a robust social security framework for gig workers. Although the government recently implemented a new Code on Social Security requiring platforms to contribute to a welfare fund, union leaders argue that immediate structural issues remain unaddressed. Their demands include fixed rest breaks, consistent work allocation, accident insurance, and an end to arbitrary ID blocking without a proper grievance redressal process. They are urging both central and state governments to formally recognize their right to collective bargaining.

As the strike falls on one of the busiest nights for food and grocery delivery, consumers in metropolitan and tier-2 cities are likely to experience severe delays or service unavailability. Platform companies are reportedly monitoring the situation, but unions remain firm, stating that workers have been pushed to a "breaking point." The success of this protest could mark a pivotal moment in the fight for labor rights within India's rapidly expanding app-based service sector.