Zomato, Swiggy increase payout to gig workers amid strike call by unions

New Delhi: Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy have rolled out higher incentives for delivery partners ahead of New Year’s Eve, a period that typically sees a surge in orders, even as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike seeking better pay and working conditions.

Industry sources said the strike could disrupt operations of food delivery and quick commerce platforms, including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto, on one of the busiest nights of the year. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers have claimed that lakhs of workers are expected to participate in the protest.

To ensure rider availability during peak demand, Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on December 31, according to people familiar with the matter. The company has also indicated that delivery partners could earn up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, depending on order volumes and availability. In addition, penalties for order denials and cancellations have been temporarily waived, sources said, adding that this practice is routinely followed during festive and year-end periods. “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 said. Eternal is the parent company of Zomato and Blinkit.

Swiggy, too, has increased incentives during the year-end period. People aware of the development said the platform is offering delivery partners earnings of up to Rs 10,000 across December 31 and January 1. For New Year’s Eve specifically, Swiggy is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to Rs 2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am, a move aimed at maintaining adequate rider supply during the heavy ordering rush.

Meanwhile, unions have reiterated their strike call. In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said that more than 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India had confirmed participation as of Tuesday night, with numbers expected to increase by evening. The unions said the strike follows a December 25 action that saw thousands of delivery workers log 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,” the statement said, adding that the lack of dialogue or corrective measures had made the December 31 strike unavoidable.

The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union has also announced a nationwide shutdown on December 31, urging gig and app-based workers to switch off work-related applications and refrain from providing services for the day.with agency inputs