A recent survey conducted by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) has revealed that only 38% of Indian workers believe that gig economy professionals, such as cab drivers working for platforms like Ola and Uber, or delivery partners employed by food delivery companies like Swiggy and Zomato, should have the right to collectively bargain. This survey, titled ‘What Young Workers Want From Transport,’ indicates that Indian workers’ sentiments align with global opinions regarding the collective bargaining rights of gig economy workers.
Interestingly, the survey shows that less than half of the respondents from India support the idea of platform workers joining a union. However, young workers displayed a stronger belief in the importance of transport unions, with 74% of them advocating for an active role in society, compared to 68% among both older workers and the general young population.
In terms of supporting the right to safe working conditions within the transport sector, 63% of young workers extended their backing, closely aligning with the 68% support among workers aged 36 and above.
The report also highlighted that young Indian workers, aged 18 to 35, were more inclined to provide employment rights to platform workers compared to the general young population, with the exception of ‘the right to collectively bargain.’
The ITF, a global trade union federation, collaborated with the British market research firm YouGov to conduct the survey, which collected the opinions of 1,125 Indian workers on five labor rights for platform workers. The sample also included 239 workers between the ages of 18-35.
The survey findings come against the backdrop of recent labor-related disruptions in the gig economy sector in India. Just last week, food delivery platform Swiggy faced service disruptions in various parts of Mumbai due to a strike initiated by delivery partners protesting against changes in their incentive structure, reduced wages, and an expanded delivery radius. A similar strike by drivers associated with online ride-hailing platforms like Ola and Uber took place in Chennai earlier this week, demanding fare regulation. This resulted in a surge in taxi fares of up to 200% in certain areas.
Despite the challenges faced by gig workers, the policy think-tank NITI Aayog estimated that in 2020-21, there were 77 lakh workers engaged in the gig economy, with approximately 13 lakh in the transportation sector. However, organizing gig delivery workers in India remains a challenge. These workers are often categorized as private contractors rather than employees, making the formation of unions for them a complex endeavor.
In 2021, the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers, alongside Ola and Uber drivers, took their concerns to the Supreme Court. They argued that app-based companies classifying gig workers as ‘partners’ rather than ’employees’ denied them the same social security benefits and protections enjoyed by regular employees.
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On October 25, cab drivers, autorickshaw operators affiliated with app-based aggregators, and online food delivery agents in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad will stage a one-day strike, demanding regularisation. Despite the regional transport authority declaring autorickshaws working for aggregators as illegal, they continue to operate, further highlighting the complexities surrounding gig economy work in India.
