“Zomato, Swiggy Raise Pay Amid Gig Strike”

Online food delivery companies Zomato and Swiggy have announced higher payments for delivery workers on New Year’s Eve. This comes as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike, according to a PTI report.

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) said that lakhs of delivery workers and app-based drivers are expected to join the strike. Industry sources warned that the strike could affect food delivery and quick commerce services such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto on December 31, one of the busiest days of the year.

To ensure enough delivery partners are available, Zomato has offered higher payouts. Delivery workers can earn between ₹120 and ₹150 per order during peak hours from 6 pm to 12 midnight on New Year’s Eve. The company also said that delivery partners may earn up to ₹3,000 during the day, depending on the number of orders and worker availability.

Zomato has also removed penalties for rejecting or cancelling orders on that day. The company said this is a normal practice during high-demand festive periods. An Eternal spokesperson, whose company owns Zomato and Blinkit, said these steps are part of their regular festive operations.

Swiggy has also announced higher incentives for the year-end period. According to sources, delivery partners can earn up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1. For New Year’s Eve alone, Swiggy is offering earnings of up to ₹2,000 during the six peak hours from 6 pm to 12 am to make sure enough riders are available.

In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said that more than 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India have already confirmed their participation in the strike, and the number is expected to increase further.