As India prepares for New Year’s Eve celebrations, delivery workers linked with major platforms including Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart have announced a nationwide strike on December 31, raising concerns over disruptions during one of the busiest days for food delivery, quick commerce and e-commerce services.
The protest, called by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), is aimed at highlighting declining earnings, longer working hours and unsafe delivery practices. Workers argue that hyper-fast delivery models, particularly 10-minute deliveries, push them into risky road conditions while offering little job security or social protection.
Union representatives say delivery partners are facing mounting pressure from platforms’ algorithms, frequent penalties and arbitrary account suspensions, with limited grievance redressal. They are demanding safer delivery timelines, fairer pay structures, restrictions on late-night deliveries in hazardous conditions, and access to social security benefits such as health insurance and accident cover.
The timing of the strike is significant, as December 31 typically sees peak demand from restaurants, liquor stores, party supply vendors and last-minute online shoppers. Any large-scale disruption could result in delayed or cancelled orders, impacting customer experience and revenues, particularly for quick-commerce platforms that rely heavily on speed.
While some larger or established businesses expect limited impact, smaller outlets and cloud kitchens that depend heavily on app-based deliveries could face immediate losses. Industry observers note that the protest underscores a broader challenge for India’s gig economy balancing rapid growth and consumer convenience with sustainable working conditions for delivery partners.
As platforms remain largely silent on the issue, the outcome of the strike may influence not only New Year’s Eve sales but also ongoing conversations around labour rights, safety and the future of gig work in India’s digital commerce ecosystem.
