The 'ten-minute' timeout: Why your festive orders might be delayed or no-show and why is it necessary

As the New Year approaches, those planning parties should consider a trip to their local grocery store for essential party supplies. This is due to a significant nationwide strike by delivery workers from major Indian platforms, including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart, scheduled for December 31st. Last-minute orders for party essentials or food may not be reliable during this busy period. The strike, organized by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) alongside the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), is expected to draw participation from over 100,000 workers, many of whom will log out of their apps or severely limit their deliveries. This protest coincides with New Year's Eve, a peak time for online delivery services, highlighting the urgent issues faced by gig workers in the industry. This action follows a similar strike on Christmas Day that saw around 40,000 workers participate, causing a reported 60% disruption in deliveries across various cities. Major urban areas, including Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, are likely to experience significant service interruptions. The strike aims to shed light on the challenging working conditions prevalent in the gig economy. Workers have raised concerns over low wages, job insecurity, and the lack of essential social security benefits such as health coverage and accident insurance. They also criticize what they refer to as 'app-based governance,' where complex algorithms control payment structures and penalties without transparency. Additionally, the unions are opposing ultra-fast delivery promises, such as those that guarantee deliveries in ten minutes. They argue that these unrealistic deadlines push workers into dangerous driving behaviors, raising the risk of accidents. Shaik Salauddin, the founder of TGPWU, expressed that companies have often responded to worker grievances with intimidation tactics, describing the current situation as a form of modern exploitation. While estimates from Niti Aayog predict that India’s gig economy will expand to 23.5 million workers by 2030, unions assert that this growth has not translated into fair pay or safe working environments. As of now, major delivery platforms have not publicly responded to the strike announcement. Consumers are encouraged to prepare for their year-end celebrations early to mitigate potential disruptions in service.