Gig Workers In Pune Prepare For Strike Tomorow; Demand Precedent Set By Rajasthan Government
Pune, 24th October 2023: Rajasthan became the first state in India to introduce the “Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act, 2023,” a comprehensive legal framework aimed at regulating and supporting the growing gig economy workforce. The bill was introduced in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on 21st July 2023 and swiftly passed on 24 July 2023. This pioneering Act sets a precedent for addressing the unique challenges faced by gig workers.
The Act’s primary goal is to provide vital social security and essential benefits to gig workers, offering them protection with minimal investment. It extends a labour guarantee to employees working through platforms like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, Urban Company, and others. Gig workers in Rajasthan will benefit from various aspects of this legislation.
Under this act, any gig worker found in violation of the law can face fines ranging from 5 to 50 lakhs, emphasizing the importance of compliance with the new regulations.
According to the law, all gig workers and aggregators in Rajasthan will be required to register, enabling the government to create a comprehensive database of gig workers. Each worker will be issued a unique identity card. The Act further establishes a ‘Platform Based Gig Workers Fund and Welfare Fee,’ designed to raise a social security and welfare fund to support gig workers.
Aggregators will also be subject to fees based on their transactions with platform-based gig workers. Failure to pay these fees within the stipulated time will result in a 12 per cent annual interest charge from the due date. Non-compliance with any aspect of the law may lead to fines ranging from 5 lakhs to 50 lakhs.
Meanwhile, in Pune, a group of cab drivers and delivery personnel associated with companies such as Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, and more have jointly announced a one-day strike scheduled for October 25, 2023. The Indian Gig Workers Front and the Indian Gig Workers Forum are leading this effort to foster a more equitable and improved working environment for gig workers.
The striking gig workers have several pressing concerns they seek to address:
Cab drivers are advocating for fixed base rates similar to rickshaw meters, regulation of companies like Everest Fleet, and the prevention of unfair outstation trip allocations to private vendors. They also demand a robust support system during their shifts, a fair investigative process before penalties are imposed, and the reinstatement of previous charges for services.
Rickshaw pullers are seeking an immediate halt to platform fees and a meter-based calculation for waiting fees to bridge the affordability gap between cab and rickshaw services.
Food and parcel delivery personnel focus on issues such as equal and increased order rates, effective problem-solving mechanisms, accurate distance calculations, fairness in handling customer complaints, and access to a minimum daily wage and compensation.
These demands align with the recently implemented Maharashtra Gig Workers Act and Maharashtra Cab Aggregator Rules, which have the potential to address approximately 90% of the concerns raised by gig workers while providing additional benefits like insurance, welfare boards, pensions, and scholarships for workers’ children.
While the gig workers acknowledge that a one-day strike may not bring immediate change, they emphasize the importance of collective action and call on others to join their efforts for positive transformation in the gig economy.
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