Gig Workers Strike on New Year Eve: Food Delivery Crisis Ahead

Today is December 31, 2025 and I am watching something unprecedented unfold across India. Thousands of gig workers are staging a massive strike on new year eve, and this is going to impact your food delivery plans tonight.

When I spoke to several delivery partners in my city, the frustration in their voices was palpable. They are tired of being treated as disposable labor despite being called partners by these billion dollar platforms. The gig workers strike is not just about demanding better pay, it is about demanding basic human dignity and safety.

I have been following the gig economy closely and what I am witnessing today is a turning point. Delivery partners from Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart are logging off their apps during peak hours tonight.

This movement is organized by the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers and Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. They chose new year eve strategically because this is one of the busiest days for food and grocery orders. The strike aims to force these platforms to acknowledge that workers are humans, not algorithms.

Also Read: Gold Rate Today Chennai: Latest 22K and 24K Gold Prices for December 31, 2025

Key Takeaways

• Over 100,000 gig workers across India are striking on December 31, 2025
• Major platforms affected include Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Zepto, Amazon and Flipkart
• Workers demand minimum pay of Rs 20 per km and Rs 40,000 monthly income guarantee
• The dangerous 10 minute delivery model is a major concern for rider safety
• Cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune will face severe disruptions
• Unions are calling for social security benefits including health insurance and pensions
• This follows a similar strike on Christmas Day that affected 60 percent deliveries

Why Gig Workers Are Striking Today

I have personally observed how these delivery partners risk their lives daily. The core issue driving this gig workers strike is the brutal 10 minute delivery model that platforms like Blinkit and Zepto promote aggressively.

When I see these riders speeding through traffic, running red lights and weaving dangerously between vehicles, I realize the human cost of our convenience. Workers are forced to compromise safety protocols just to meet unrealistic deadlines. If they are late due to restaurant delays or traffic, the algorithm penalizes them automatically. This is fundamentally unjust.

The earnings situation has become dire. I recently learned that some workers are making just Rs 763 for 15 hours of work and 28 deliveries after deducting fuel costs. Imagine working from morning till night, facing pollution, accidents and exhaustion, only to take home barely enough for basic expenses. The per order payout keeps falling while fuel prices keep rising.

Workers report that they used to earn Rs 35 to Rs 40 per delivery a few years ago. Now it has dropped to Rs 15 to Rs 20 for the same distance. This wage decline is pushing riders into poverty despite working 10 to 14 hours daily.

What Workers Are Demanding

The demands put forward by the striking gig workers are completely reasonable in my view. First, they want transparent and fair pay structures with a minimum of Rs 20 per kilometer traveled. Second, they are asking for a guaranteed monthly income of Rs 40,000 which would provide basic financial security.

Third, they want immediate withdrawal of the 10 minute delivery model that puts lives at risk every single day. Fourth, workers are demanding an end to arbitrary account blocking and ID deactivation by opaque algorithms.

Social security is another critical demand. These workers want accident insurance, health coverage, pension schemes and maternity benefits just like regular employees get. They are also asking for mandatory rest breaks and reasonable working hours instead of being forced to work continuously for 12 to 14 hours.

The right to organize into unions and bargain collectively is essential for protecting worker interests. Finally, they want better grievance redressal mechanisms within apps because currently there is no human support when technical or payment issues arise.

Impact on Your New Year Eve Plans

If you are planning to order food or groceries tonight, I strongly suggest you reconsider or order much earlier than usual. The gig workers new year eve strike will cause major disruptions across all major cities. Delivery times will stretch significantly longer than normal.

Many orders may get cancelled entirely due to lack of available riders. Surge pricing might kick in on platforms that remain operational as demand far exceeds supply.

I have observed that cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Kolkata will face the most severe impact. Even tier 2 cities are joining this movement with regional worker collectives participating actively.

Restaurants that depend entirely on these platforms for deliveries will suffer revenue losses. Some smaller establishments told me they are planning to use their own staff for deliveries tonight but this is not feasible for larger chains. Quick commerce platforms will be hit hardest because their entire business model depends on ultra fast deliveries.

Public Support for the Strike

What I find most encouraging is the overwhelming public support for these gig workers. Social media platforms are filled with messages of solidarity. People are recognizing that their convenience comes at an enormous human cost.

Many users are pledging not to order anything today to amplify the workers voice. Influencers and political leaders are speaking out against the exploitation happening in plain sight.

One sentiment I keep seeing echoed is that everyone deserves a better quality of life and basic labor protections. The faster we demand convenience, the more brutal the system becomes for the person on the other side of the app.

This strike is forcing middle class consumers to confront uncomfortable truths about how the gig economy operates. Workers are not asking for charity, they are demanding fair compensation for the essential services they provide daily. The courage it takes to strike on the most profitable day of the year demonstrates how desperate the situation has become.

What Needs to Change

The gig economy in India is valued at over USD 556 billion and growing rapidly. By 2030, it could contribute 4 percent to India GDP with over 23 million workers. But this growth is unsustainable if it continues to be built on worker exploitation.

The revised Code on Social Security requires platforms to contribute 1 to 2 percent of annual turnover to a Social Security Fund. However, workers say enforcement remains weak and tangible benefits are not reaching them yet.

I believe platforms need to fundamentally rethink their relationship with delivery partners. Treating them as independent contractors to avoid labor law obligations is morally bankrupt when these workers have no real independence.

They cannot set their own rates, choose their customers or work for competitors simultaneously without penalties. Recognition as formal employees with full labor rights is necessary. This includes minimum wage protections, maximum working hour limits, paid leave and workplace safety standards.

The government must also step up enforcement. Karnataka passed a Gig Workers Act but implementation has been poor. Other states need similar legislation with strict penalties for violations. Algorithmic management systems need oversight and transparency so workers understand how decisions affecting their livelihoods are made.

The 10 minute delivery model should be banned entirely as it creates perverse incentives that endanger both riders and the general public on roads.

The Bigger Picture

This gig workers strike on new year eve represents a watershed moment for India digital economy. Workers are no longer willing to silently accept deteriorating conditions while platforms post billion dollar valuations.

The Christmas Day strike already showed that collective action can disrupt business as usual. Today action is even larger and more coordinated across regions. If platforms continue to ignore legitimate demands, we will see more frequent and intense labor unrest.

The choice before platforms is clear. They can continue the current exploitative model and face growing opposition from workers, regulators and socially conscious consumers.

Or they can proactively embrace reforms that create sustainable livelihoods for the people who make their business possible. Better wages, safety protections and social security will increase costs in the short term. But it will also reduce worker turnover, improve service quality and build a more stable foundation for long term growth.

I hope this new year brings meaningful change for gig workers across India. They deserve fair treatment, financial security and the right to live with dignity.

Tonight, as you consider ordering food or groceries, remember that real people with families and dreams are fighting for basic justice. Perhaps the best way to ring in the new year is to support their struggle by choosing not to order and letting them have a well deserved break. The convenience can wait, but the fight for worker rights cannot.

Tags: gig workers strike, new year eve delivery, Zomato Swiggy strike, 10 minute delivery ban, gig economy India, delivery worker rights, labor union protest

About Author