48-Hour Strike by Zomato Delivery Workers in Thiruvananthapuram

(File picture)

Web desk

Published on Jul 05, 2025, 12:29 PM | 3 min read

Thiruvananthapuram: Delivery workers working for Zomato in Thiruvananthapuram launched a 48-hour token strike today, protesting significant reduction in earnings and deteriorating work conditions brought on by the platform's recent policy changes.

The strike, which will continue through Sunday, comes in response to the introduction of Zomato’s “Select to Go” option. Delivery agents say the new system is severely impacting their income by forcing them to accept lower-paid orders in exchange for quicker assignments.

Although Zomato claims that order allocation is automated and proximity-based, workers allege that the new feature disrupts this process. Under “Select to Go,” delivery partners receive an order within 90 seconds—but only by agreeing to a payout reduction of up to 30%.

“New workers often choose this without knowing the long-term impact. It is pressuring all of us to take lower-paying jobs just to stay active. This has led to a sharp fall in overall earnings,” said C.V. Suresh, state committee member of the All India Gig Workers’ Union (AIGWU). He added that the app only tracks pickup and delivery times, ignoring the total logged-in duration. “Even if someone logs in for 15–16 hours, the app shows just 9–10 hours. This gives a misleading picture of our daily earnings.”

Delivery workers are also raising concerns over long wait times at certain restaurants after accepting orders. They are demanding the implementation of a “ready to pick up” system or compensation for waiting.

Additionally, daily incentives for completing 25+ deliveries have dropped from Rs. 675 to Rs. 585. After deducting fuel and other costs, many workers claim they are left with just Rs. 300–Rs. 400 for an eight-hour shift—forcing them to stay online for up to 14 hours to make ends meet.

The agents submitted their list of demands to the Zomato city office on May 16, but say they received no response. Today’s strike is a result of growing frustration.

“This is not something we wanted. But we are left with no choice. If there is no resolution after this weekend, we will be forced to go on an indefinite strike and extend it to other districts,” Mr. Suresh warned.

Workers continue to stress the need for a national policy to protect gig and platform-based workers. With no legal safeguards, they remain vulnerable to unilateral changes in payment models and working terms. The strike marks a growing resistance in the gig economy as workers demand better pay, transparency, and respect for their time and labour.