New Delhi, January 1, 2026
In a bold escalation of their fight for better working conditions, thousands of gig workers across India launched a nationwide strike on New Year's Eve, severely impacting food delivery and quick-commerce services at the peak of festive demand. Delivery partners from major platforms including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart logged off en masse, protesting exploitative algorithms, unsafe delivery timelines, and inadequate social security.
The action, coordinated by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), marked the second major protest in a week, following a Christmas Day walkout that disrupted 50-60% of deliveries in key cities. As fireworks lit up the night sky and families gathered for midnight toasts, frustrated customers flooded social media with complaints of delayed or canceled orders, turning a night of revelry into one of inconvenience for urban households reliant on app-based services.
### A Night of Empty Tables and Urgent Demands
The strike, which began at noon on December 31 and extended through the early hours of January 1, saw participation from an estimated 40,000 workers in metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, as well as tier-2 cities. Riders parked their bikes outside delivery hubs, holding placards that read "Not Slaves of Algorithms" and "End 10-Minute Delivery Madness," highlighting the core grievance: hyper-fast delivery mandates that prioritize speed over safety.
"We risk our lives daily dodging traffic for pennies, only to face account blocks for minor delays," said Rajesh Kumar, a 28-year-old Swiggy rider from Bengaluru, speaking to reporters amid the protest. "On New Year's Eve, when orders triple, platforms squeeze us harder. Enough is enough." Unions reported a surge in accidents linked to shrinking payout structures and pressure to meet unrealistic targets, with one rider in Mumbai recounting a recent collision caused by rushing for a 10-minute grocery drop-off.
Key demands include:
Abolition of 10-minute delivery options, which workers say lead to hazardous riding conditions.
Fair and transparent pay, with minimum guarantees amid fluctuating incentives.
Enhanced safety measures, including mandatory helmets, reflective gear, and accident insurance.
Social security benefits, such as health coverage, pensions, and paid rest breaks.
Accountability reforms. curbing arbitrary suspensions and ensuring algorithm transparency.
### Platforms' Response: Incentives Amid the Chaos
In a bid to mitigate the fallout, affected companies rolled out emergency incentives just hours before the midnight rush. Zomato promised payouts of Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours from 6 PM to midnight, while Swiggy and Blinkit issued "assurance letters" guaranteeing no punitive actions for non-participation. Zepto and Amazon followed suit with bonus structures for high-volume deliveries, but unions dismissed these as "temporary Band-Aids" that fail to address systemic issues.
Despite the measures, disruptions were felt acutely. In Delhi-NCR, Zomato reported a 40% drop in active riders by 8 PM, leading to order wait times exceeding two hours. Mumbai saw similar chaos, with quick-commerce apps like Blinkit suspending new orders in select zones. E-commerce giant Flipkart, handling last-minute gadget and party supply deliveries, experienced bottlenecks at fulfillment centers, forcing some customers to pivot to in-store pickups.
A Zomato spokesperson stated, "We respect our partners' concerns and are committed to dialogue. Tonight's incentives reflect our efforts to ensure seamless service during this high-demand period." However, platform executives privately admitted the strike could cost millions in lost revenue, underscoring the leverage gig workers wield in India's booming $5 billion delivery market.
### Broader Implications for India's Gig Economy
This strike arrives at a pivotal moment for India's gig workforce, which numbers over 15 million and powers the nation's digital economy. While platforms hail the sector's growth—quick-commerce alone projected to hit $5.5 billion by 2025—workers decry a model that treats them as disposable cogs. The December 25 protest already prompted government murmurs of intervention, with labor ministers in Telangana and Maharashtra pledging reviews of platform regulations.
Globally, similar unrest has spurred reforms: The UK mandated minimum wages for riders in 2024, while California courts upheld worker classifications as employees. In India, advocates call for a dedicated gig economy code, echoing the unions' push for collective bargaining rights.
As the confetti settles on 2026, the strike's echoes linger—not just in delayed dinners, but in a clarion call for equity in the apps that define modern life. Negotiations are slated to resume next week, but for now, the riders' resolve has rewritten the script of New Year's Eve.
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