Online Delivery Workers to Go on Nationwide Strike on December 31

Delivery workers working with major food delivery and e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit and Flipkart have announced a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025. The workers had earlier staged a similar strike on Christmas Day, December 25, over the same demands.

The strike has been called by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union along with the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers. Delivery partners from metro cities as well as major tier-2 cities are expected to take part. The workers say that while demand for quick deliveries continues to rise, their pay and working conditions have not improved. They are protesting against low and unstable earnings, lack of safety measures, and the absence of social security benefits.

According to worker unions, the repeated strikes are meant to put pressure on platform companies to address issues related to fair wages, dignity, and better working conditions in the gig economy.

"Despite being the backbone of last-mile delivery, especially during peak seasons and festivals-delivery workers are forced to endure long working hours, falling earnings, unsafe delivery targets, arbitrary ID blocking, lack of job security, and absence of basic welfare protections," said the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) in a statement.

What are their demands?

• End to arbitrary ID blocking and penalties without due process.
• Improved safety measures, including safety gear.
• Assured and consistent work allocation without algorithmic discrimination.
• Respect and dignity at work, including humane treatment by platforms and customers.
• Mandatory rest breaks and reasonable working hours.
• Stronger app and technical support, including grievance redressal for routing and payment failures.
• Job security and social security, including health insurance, accident coverage, and pension benefits.
• These workers also called for government intervention and urged both the Central and State Governments to immediately regulate the platforms.