KOCHI: Online food delivery service of Swiggy almost came to a halt on the first day of the indefinite strike called by delivery workers in protest against the company’s decision not to raise their pay. The workers said nearly 5,000 Swiggy delivery personnel stayed away from service on Tuesday.
The workers went on strike after the discussion called by the district labour officer failed to reach a consensus. The main demand of the workers is to hike the minimum wage from Rs 20 to Rs 35 for every delivery made in a four-square-kilometre radius in Kochi city.
Though a few delivery workers joined duty by afternoon, they too decided to support the strike later in the day. There were reports that protesters threatened the workers who decided to deliver the food packages. However, people were only partially affected by the strike as many used other online food delivery apps.
“I tried to place an order on Swiggy, but only a few hotels were available. When I tried to place an order, I received a message saying the service was unavailable,” said a resident who works in a private firm in Kaloor.
Meanwhile, the district labour officer said a meeting with Swiggy officials and union leaders will be convened soon to discuss the issue.