Swiggy, Zomato and Amazon Delivery Partners Announce All-India Strike on New Year’s Eve

Delivery and gig economy workers from major platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, Blinkit, Zepto and Flipkart have announced a nationwide strike on 31 December 2025, raising fresh concerns about service disruptions during one of the busiest days of the year. The move follows a similar walk-out on Christmas Day, 25 December.

Unions representing these workers say the protests are aimed at improving wages, safety standards and job security in a sector where pay and working conditions have long been criticised.

Why Workers Are Striking Again

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) along with the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have called on delivery partners in both big cities and tier-2 towns to stop work on New Year’s Eve.

Workers argue that the current app-based system leaves them with uncertain earnings, unfair pay calculations, and safety risks. They also point to opaque algorithms that set delivery targets and incentives with little explanation.

During the Christmas Day strike, many deliveries were delayed or missed in cities such as Gurugram, highlighting how dependent customers are on gig workers during peak times.

What the Workers Want

The unions have laid out a set of clear demands:

• Fair, transparent pay that reflects the actual distance travelled and time worked.
• Social security and welfare benefits such as health insurance, accident cover and pensions.
• Mandatory rest breaks, reasonable working hours and overtime where needed.
• An end to ultra-fast delivery targets, including controversial 10-minute delivery promises that workers say encourage unsafe driving.
• Stronger systems to handle complaints, including protection against sudden account suspensions.

Unions argue that without these changes, workers continue to face falling incomes and dangerous delivery expectations.

Government Response and Industry Context

The strike comes amid recent labour reforms in India that formally recognise gig and platform workers under revised social security laws. Under these rules, digital platforms must contribute a share of their turnover to a Social Security Fund to support benefits such as health and accident insurance.

However, worker groups say these measures don’t go far enough, because minimum earnings, workplace safety and algorithmic accountability are not fully addressed yet.

Politicians and union leaders have urged both central and state governments to further strengthen protections and ensure that gig workers can organise and negotiate collectively.

What It Means for Customers

If participation in the strike is high, customers in many cities could face delays or limited delivery services on 31 December, particularly for food, groceries and other quick-commerce orders.

The year-end timing adds pressure on both platforms and policymakers to address long-standing issues in India’s gig economy, which continues to grow rapidly but remains fraught with labour challenges.