Around 150 Blinkit gig workers went on a strike in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, this weekend, demanding fair pay, better working conditions and cotton uniforms for the summer.
The gig workers further claimed that the company blocked their IDs – citing the strike as the reason, and made them sign an agreement to have their IDs unblocked.
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What actually happened?
As reported by Deccan Herald, Nirmal Gorana, National Coordinator, Gig and Platform Services Workers Union, said that Blinkit suspended 150 delivery executives in retaliation for their two-day strike on Saturday and Sunday.
The demands of the gig workers included that the Zomato-owned grocery delivery platform should end the mandatory work hours between 12 to 4 pm.
They also asked for an increase in minimum wage and basic amenities like shaded waiting areas and drinking water.
Visuals shared on social media by the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) show a group of Blinkit gig workers dressed in their signature yellow uniform, holding up a placard demanding that the company stop harassing its riders.
The reality of the situation
Speaking with Deccan Herald, an employee named Santosh Jaiswal said, “When the store opened, riders earned Rs 130 for 15 orders, Rs 155 for 18 orders, and so on, however, the incentive rates have been reduced over the past two months to Rs 205 for 30 orders, Rs 245 for 35 orders ever since the delivery personnel increased to 150."
However, the gig workers in India are not officially recognised as “workmen" under existing labour laws.
Adil Ladha, Partner at Delhi-based legal firm, Saraf and Partners said, “As long as you’re a workman employee, taking away the right to strike would become a problem, but as they are gig workers, they do not fall in that definition, hence, they don’t have any inherent right to strike. So, while any sort of declaration that gives up a legal right could be held as void, if there is no right to begin with, then contractually, you can agree to things which are not regulated by law. However, if the nature of the relationship is contested such an agreement would also come under scrutiny." [Source: News 18]
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