Swiggy workers call off strike after min Sivankutty promises to hold talks
A group of Swiggy delivery workers who launched an indefinite strike in the state capital on Monday called it off a few hours later after Labour Minister V Sivankutty decided to convene a meeting on December 23 to discuss the issues they raised.
During the strike that began in the morning, the workers raised a slew of demands to address their long-standing grievances related to wages, working conditions and basic rights. The workers alleged exploitative policies and anti-worker practices by the company. The agitation, led by a joint strike committee, was supported by various trade unions, including the CITU, INTUC and AITUC.
CITU districts secretary C Jayan Babu inaugurated the protest in front of the Swiggy Instamart store at Pattom. A series of stir were held at different Swiggy Instamart outlets in the city, and disrupted the delivery service.
One of the primary demands of the workers was fair revision. They insisted on restructuring the salary to ensure Rs 30 for first 3 km and Rs 10 for every subsequent km for all orders, including those from Swiggy Instamart. They also demanded minimum daily wage of Rs 1,250 for full-time delivery partners. Fair compensation for multi-orders, with the second order being paid on similar terms to ensure the workers are not underpaid for additional efforts, was another demand.
The workers also highlighted other pressing issues, including lack of return bonuses for orders exceeding 5 km and the absence of basic facilities such as toilets, rest areas, and parking spaces at Instamart hubs. They demanded that the company provide salary slips, implement annual wage revisions, and consult workers’ unions before making any changes to the payment structure.
Another key demand was the reactivation of all delivery partner IDs that the workers alleged were deactivated without valid reasons. They also pushed for an increase in medical insurance coverage from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh and for insurance payouts to the nominees of deceased workers to be processed within three months. The workers also called for an end to manipulated location maps and the practice of assigning fake or dummy orders, which they alleged disrupted their workflow and earning.
The workers said they anticipated a fair relief to their grievances after Sivankutty took cognisance of their issue and called for a meeting.