Why Gig Workers from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart Are Striking on New Year’s Eve

A nationwide strike by over 100,000 delivery workers from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart threatens to sharply slow food, grocery, and e-commerce deliveries across India on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2025.

Unions are coordinating logouts or reduced hours to maximize disruption during peak demand, spotlighting critical concerns over pay, safety, and job security in the gig economy.

Organizers and Scale of Participation

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT) lead the effort, backed by regional groups in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi-NCR, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. Union leaders expect massive turnout, building on a Christmas Day protest where 40,000 workers disrupted 60% of deliveries in major cities despite platform countermeasures like ID blocks and third-party riders.

Escalating Protests from Christmas to New Year

This New Year's Eve strike follows unrest on December 25, when platforms allegedly used intimidation, police complaints, and algorithmic penalties to undermine workers. TGPWU founder Shaik Salauddin highlighted how companies dodged core demands by offering temporary incentives instead of dialogue, amid rising workloads and falling real earnings.

Core Demands of Gig Workers

Workers demand transparent pay structures, safety measures against ultra-fast delivery risks, social security like health insurance and pensions, fair grievance redressal, and algorithm transparency for predictable incomes. Opaque apps control orders, routes, penalties, and incentives without notice, fueling uncertainty.

Algorithm Governance and 10-Minute Delivery Risks

A key grievance is app algorithms dictating pay, routes, and performance without explanation, alongside pressure from 10-minute delivery promises that push risky riding in traffic and bad weather. Unions reject these models, calling for government regulation to end ID blocks, ensure fair wages, and provide social protections.

Geographic Impact and Consumer Disruptions

Disruptions will hit major cities like Pune, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, plus tier-2 urban centers, affecting food delivery, quick commerce groceries, and e-commerce orders. Consumers face delays for New Year's Eve celebrations, while platforms scramble for contingencies.

Path Forward for Platforms and Regulators

Unions insist the strike proceeds, urging immediate intervention for worker dignity and accountability. This could spark broader gig economy reforms as demand for fast deliveries clashes with unsustainable conditions.

As delivery workers from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon, and Flipkart take a bold stand on New Year's Eve, their strike shines a light on the urgent need for fair pay, safety, and dignity in India's gig economy. This unified action demands real change from platforms and regulators, proving that when workers unite, they can disrupt the status quo and pave the way for sustainable livelihoods. Support the strikers- their fight is for justice that benefits all.