The ‘Swiggy unit’ of Maharashtra’s workers’ union, the Rashtriya Karamchari Sena, is on strike indefinitely. The delivery personnel employed by the Bengaluru-based food-delivery aggregator are seeking higher pay and better working conditions. The strike is in its third day.
As part of the protest, delivery workers have organised bike rallies with riders carrying placards with their demands.
The strike has impacted both the food delivery service and Swiggy’s Instamart service in Mumbai, as residents are unable to place orders through the company’s app.
Given the rising fuel prices, delivery personnel who are reportedly paid Rs 20 for six kilometres are finding it difficult to meet their needs. Their complaint is that they can now only earn about Rs 40 per day, whereas they used to be able to earn Rs 100.
They are paid per order based on the number of kilometres travelled for delivery, incentive payment, and surge pay.
Swiggy’s delivery personnel in Chennai staged a similar strike in May 2023 in protest of the platform’s reduction of various employee perks such as delivery fees, incentives, and petrol allowances. Employees were also upset because they were being fined for late deliveries with no regard for their concerns. The Chennai strike began after proper notice was given to both the company and the labour department.
