Delivery workers staged a nationwide flash strike and bike rallies across India on Thursday, under the leadership of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), over the poor and unsafe working conditions in the gig economy.
Approximately 40,000 delivery workers from major platforms participated in the flash strike while protesting against unsafe working conditions, unfair pay, algorithmic control, ID blocking, and denial of dignity and social security.
During the strike, the delivery workers faced serious intimidation and harassment, including the blocking of IDs of key leaders, team leaders, and active workers, and threats and coercion by company representatives. Despite these actions, workers stood united and continued their protest peacefully.
Major disruption in delivery services
The flash strike had a significant nationwide impact as around 50 to 60% of the orders were delayed or disrupted across multiple cities and stores. The platform companies attempted to break the strike by deploying third-party delivery companies such as Shadowfax and Rapido, while aggregators offered extra incentive pay and temporarily reactivated inactive IDs to manage operations,
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Most affected regions
The strongest impact of the flash strike by the delivery workers was reported from Delhi, Karnataka, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. These regions witnessed large-scale participation in the strike and bike rallies and the consequent visible disruption of platform services.
Workers’ resolve
The flash strike demonstrates the growing unity and resistance of delivery workers across India against exploitative platform practices. Workers have made it clear that repression, ID blocking, and intimidation will not silence their collective voice.
TGPWU and IFAT reiterated their demand for fair wages, safe working conditions, protection from arbitrary ID blocking, social security, and recognition of workers’ right to organise, said Shaik Salauddin, founder-president of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and co-founder and national general secretary of Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT).
