India's 15 million gig workers are taking up the chant of their peers abroad and pressing for better pay and benefits. They are addressing their demands not only to the creators of the apps that funnel them work, but also to the federal government. Shaik Salauddin is the president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. It will reflect in the polls if millions of people are ignored.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware that gig workers could coalesce into a new voting bloc and influence the public mood if they take to the streets to demand better treatment. The package of labor reforms approved in 2020 would make app-based workers eligible for social security benefits, including retirement pensions and access to the health-care system. Modi wants to avoid sparking a popular backlash to other provisions in the legislation that would make it easier for companies to fire workers. The recent confrontation with farmers, in which tens of thousands camped out around New Delhi for a year, forced the government to repeal three farm bills approved in 2020.
According to a March report by the Boston consulting Group and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, India has the potential to create as many as 90 million jobs over the long term. International giants such as Amazon.com are present, along with local companies such as Zomato and Urban Company, which offer an assortment of at- home services including beauty treatments, cleaning, and repairs.
Delivery riders in Mumbai.
According to Sonal Varma, an economist at Nomura, there is a lot of potential for these segments to grow at a much faster pace than they have seen in the past. The leaders of the next cycle may be different from what we have been used to.
The Covid-19 crisis has boosted demand for food delivery, ride-Hailing, and other app-based services, potentially in a lasting way if consumers become hooked on the convenience. It has focused attention on the needs of the workers, whether it is access to toilets or pensions. The Pandemic has highlighted the contribution of gig workers and made them more visible. The vulnerability of this expanding workforce has been underscored by the Pandemic.
gig workers in India are becoming more vocal They highlight their poor pay and hostile working conditions on social media. In some cases they are urging users to change their minds about the apps.
In October, a festive month on the Indian calendar when at- home salon services are in high demand, beauticians on Urban Company took to social media and the streets to protest issues such as the company's high commission rates and late-night shifts that put women in danger as they travel The company responded with a 12-point plan that included higher prices and lower commission on some services.
Food delivery workers took advantage of the buzz surrounding Zomato's initial public offering in July to stage a social media campaign highlighting their long hours and low pay. The company believes in freedom of expression and welcomes feedback from anonymous accounts.
I will support the political party that listens to me.
The New Economy Daily dives into what the changing landscape means for policy makers, investors and you.
The vice president of the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers says her organization is trying to put pressure on the government and companies to improve working conditions for gig workers. We work in bad conditions. There aren't enough public toilets, and that's causing a lot of health issues. We have to pool our money when something happens to one of us.
Dandu Lakshmi, a cabdriver in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad who uses ride-sharing apps for her fares, is prepared to use her political power to get India to pay attention. The single mother of two says she will support the political party that listens to her. I want a roof over my head.
gig workers may not be able to have the kind of influence that India's farmers have. They are active on social media, but are unlikely to become a traditional vote bank because they don't have an umbrella organization that ties them together.
Salauddin believes that gig workers will be able to show their strength in numbers when a situation arises. Voters will head to the polls in early next year in a state that is a bellwether. There are 12,000 platform workers in Lucknow.
gig workers in India have petitioned the Supreme Court to force the government to implement the social security provision of the labor reforms approved last year. The case will be heard in January.
Why people are quitting jobs and protesting work life from the US to China.
