Swiggy delivery partners call off strike with riders

NT Correspondent

 Bengaluru

 Swiggy delivery partners in Marathahalli called off their protests on Saturday and have put forth six demands. They warned that they would restart their agitation on Monday if their demands remain unfulfilled.

The protesters said their main demand was fixed wages since all other employees who worked for eight hours a day netted guaranteed money. Many of the striking delivery partners are immigrant workers from outside the state. They are being led by the All India Gig Workers’ Union (AIGWU).

“Over 100 Swiggy Instamart Pick-up and Delivery Partners (PDPs) in Marathahalli went on a strike on 19 August to bring attention to issues with dwindling earnings and abysmal working conditions of delivery workers in the area,” an official statement by AIGWU said.

 “Swiggy advertises a monthly earning of Rs 34,000-56,500 for a full-time shift PDP in Bengaluru.

 The reality is that the striking PDPs are barely earning a fraction, that is Rs10,000-15,000 a month (including petrol & other expenses) after working an average of 12-16 hours per day!” it added. “Due to unlimited hiring by Swiggy, most of the PDPs work well beyond their work shift in order to achieve unattainable incentive targets, and despite this, they aren’t able to earn a living wage for their survival,” it said.

The union has put forth six demands so as to facilitate a living wage for the delivery partners. “A time-based minimum wage guarantee (excluding incentives) for completing full- or half-time shifts; that is calculated as per the central trade unions demand for minimum wages of Rs 26,000 per month for a work day of eight hours,” the statement said. Other demands included achievable incentives, elimination of “unfair penalties” and a grievance redressal system for delivery workers