Food and grocery deliveries across India could face renewed disruption on December 31 as delivery partners working with major app-based platforms announce another nationwide strike, escalating pressure on companies operating in the gig economy. The protest involves workers associated with Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit, Amazon and Flipkart, according to labour unions coordinating the action.
The call for a year-end shutdown follows a similar mobilisation on December 25, when unions estimate that close to 40,000 delivery workers stayed off the roads. That protest affected operations in multiple cities, with delivery volumes reportedly dropping by 50 to 60 percent in some urban markets. Worker groups say the fresh action is intended to intensify negotiations after their demands remained unaddressed following the Christmas strike.
The December 31 protest has been announced by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, working alongside the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers. In public statements, union leaders described the earlier strike as only an initial step, signalling that broader collective action is planned if conditions do not improve.
According to the unions, delivery partners continue to face shrinking per-order earnings despite rising order volumes, along with unpredictable work hours and growing dependence on algorithm-led allocation systems. Core demands include transparent and fair pay structures, protection from sudden account deactivations, safer working conditions and access to social security benefits such as insurance and pension coverage. Worker representatives have also reiterated their opposition to ultra-fast delivery timelines, arguing that such models increase road risk without proportionate compensation.
Unions further alleged that during the Christmas protest, platforms attempted to soften the impact by onboarding third-party delivery agents, activating dormant accounts and offering short-term incentives, rather than engaging with structural issues raised by workers.
Public sentiment online has largely favoured the delivery partners, with many users questioning the need for 10-minute deliveries and calling for safer, more humane work practices. With New Year’s Eve typically among the busiest periods for food and grocery apps, the proposed strike could test both platform preparedness and the willingness of companies to engage with worker groups before demand peaks.
