NEW DELHI: Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy have announced higher incentives for delivery partners on New Year’s Eve, calling it a “standard festive protocol,” amid strike call by gig workers’ unions. The incentives are aimed at ensuring minimal service disruptions during one of the busiest ordering periods of the year, an Eternal spokesperson told PTI.The incentive push comes as gig workers’ unions, including the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), have called for a nationwide strike on December 31 to demand better payouts, safer working conditions and greater dignity at work.
Platforms hike payouts for year-end rush
Zomato said it is offering delivery partners payouts of Rs 120–Rs 150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on New Year’s Eve. The platform has also promised earnings of up to Rs 3,000 over the day, depending on order volumes and worker availability, according to people familiar with the matter. Penalties for order denials and cancellations have been temporarily waived.“This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” an Eternal spokesperson told PTI.Swiggy has also raised incentives for the year-end rush. The platform is offering delivery partners the opportunity to earn up to Rs 10,000 across December 31 and January 1. For New Year’s Eve alone, Swiggy is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to Rs 2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am, a period that typically sees the highest order volumes, the people aware of the development told PTI.
Nationwide strike call by gig workers
The incentive push comes amid a nationwide strike call by gig workers’ unions, including the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT).In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said, “As of last night, over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India have confirmed participation, with numbers expected to rise further by evening.” The unions warned that the strike could disrupt operations of food delivery and quick commerce firms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto during one of the busiest days of the year.
Unions cite falling earnings, rising pressure
The December 31 action follows a strike on December 25, when thousands of delivery workers logged off platforms across Telangana and other regions.“The December 25 action sent a clear warning to platform companies about falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressure, and loss of dignity at work. However, companies responded with silence, no rollback of reduced payouts, no dialogue with workers, and no concrete assurances on safety or working hours. This continued indifference has made today’s strike unavoidable,” the joint statement said.Calling for broader participation, the unions urged workers to shut down work-related applications and abstain from providing services on December 31 to make the strike “united and effective”.
Key demands from workers
Earlier, TGPWU president Shaik Salauddin said the fast-delivery model has placed unsafe pressure on workers, while changes in payment systems have reduced earnings.“Our demand to the platform companies was that our old payout structure be reinstated and that the 10-minute delivery option be removed from all platforms,” he told ANI. “We are ready to discuss and talk about it. We request the state and central government also to interfere in this,” he said, adding that workers have placed five key demands before the platforms, including restoring earlier payout structures that were in place during major festivals.
Government response in Telangana
Amid the unrest, Telangana labour minister Vivek Venkatswamy said the state government has approved the Gig and Platform Workers Welfare Bill, 2025.In a video message posted on X, he said, “Gig workers are suffering due to the increasing aggressiveness of aggregators… over time, their income levels have come down while work pressure has increased. The 10-minute delivery system has added further pressure on them.”
