[India] Gig workers demand better pay and fairer laws

In India, gig workers took to the street of Pune and Mumbai to demand ‘proper’ labour laws and a set of rules to protect the rights of delivery workers, Inc42 reports.

Gig workers, including drivers with cab aggregators and delivery workers, held a 24-hour strike in Pune on October 18, according to Punekar News. In addition, the cab and auto unions announced another symbolic strike on October 25 to pressure the government to improve their rights. 

In Mumbai, cab aggregators, along with auto and taxi drivers, also reportedly took part in a protest on October 19 at Terminal 2 of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. 

According to local reporting, the Mumbai drivers are demanding a number of reforms from the government including:

• Implementation of the Centre’s 2020 aggregator guidelines
• Creation of offices in Mumbai where gig workers can file their grievances
• Framing of rules to protect the rights of delivery workers
• Creation of a welfare board for gig workers 
• Creation of a regularised parking system for app-based taxis near the airport
• Reduction in the penalties levied by traffic police

The leader of a Mumbai taxi union, Taufiq Shaikh, warned authorities that the protests will be repeated if drivers' demands are not met. 

In Pune, gig workers - particularly Ola and Uber drivers - have reportedly sought better working conditions, further rights and promulgation of the ‘Cab Aggregators Act’. 

Prashant Sawardekar - Maharashtra App-Based Transport Workers Union (MAT) president - told outlet Medianama that the Pune protests were part of a state-wide initiative by a Joint Action Committee of various app-based and regular cab drivers to demand rights from the government. 

Keshav Kshirsagar - President of the Baghtoy Rickshawaala Union - told Times of India that, despite being home to the largest number of gig workers in the country, Maharashtra had not yet formulated regulations to govern the local gig economy. 

“We demand that these laws be framed in the upcoming winter session and released for the workers. We approached the district administration workers earlier on this issue, but no action has been initiated yet. We will initiate the further course of action if the state government fails,” Kshirsagar said.

Baghtoy Rickshawaala Union reportedly stated that the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad belt accounts for 145,000 gig workers, including nearly 80,000 cab drivers and 25,000 food delivery workers.

The gig workers in Pune are also protesting the ban imposed by local transport authorities on app-based auto rickshaw services. 

As a result of the strikes, the general public in Mumbai were affected as users could not book cabs.While Pune residents could neither order food nor book cabs.   

The gig workers are demanding a slew of changes along the lines of those announced by the Rajasthan government earlier this year, including plans to establish a welfare fund and enactment of the Gig Workers Welfare Act.

Source: Inc42

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

In India, gig workers took to the street of Pune and Mumbai to demand ‘proper’ labour laws and a set of rules to protect the rights of delivery workers, Inc42 reports.

Gig workers, including drivers with cab aggregators and delivery workers, held a 24-hour strike in Pune on October 18, according to Punekar News. In addition, the cab and auto unions announced another symbolic strike on October 25 to pressure the government to improve their rights. 

In Mumbai, cab aggregators, along with auto and taxi drivers, also reportedly took part in a protest on October 19 at Terminal 2 of Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. 

According to local reporting, the Mumbai drivers are demanding a number of reforms from the government including:

• Implementation of the Centre’s 2020 aggregator guidelines
• Creation of offices in Mumbai where gig workers can file their grievances
• Framing of rules to protect the rights of delivery workers
• Creation of a welfare board for gig workers 
• Creation of a regularised parking system for app-based taxis near the airport
• Reduction in the penalties levied by traffic police

The leader of a Mumbai taxi union, Taufiq Shaikh, warned authorities that the protests will be repeated if drivers' demands are not met. 

In Pune, gig workers - particularly Ola and Uber drivers - have reportedly sought better working conditions, further rights and promulgation of the ‘Cab Aggregators Act’. 

Prashant Sawardekar - Maharashtra App-Based Transport Workers Union (MAT) president - told outlet Medianama that the Pune protests were part of a state-wide initiative by a Joint Action Committee of various app-based and regular cab drivers to demand rights from the government. 

Keshav Kshirsagar - President of the Baghtoy Rickshawaala Union - told Times of India that, despite being home to the largest number of gig workers in the country, Maharashtra had not yet formulated regulations to govern the local gig economy. 

“We demand that these laws be framed in the upcoming winter session and released for the workers. We approached the district administration workers earlier on this issue, but no action has been initiated yet. We will initiate the further course of action if the state government fails,” Kshirsagar said.

Baghtoy Rickshawaala Union reportedly stated that the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad belt accounts for 145,000 gig workers, including nearly 80,000 cab drivers and 25,000 food delivery workers.

The gig workers in Pune are also protesting the ban imposed by local transport authorities on app-based auto rickshaw services. 

As a result of the strikes, the general public in Mumbai were affected as users could not book cabs.While Pune residents could neither order food nor book cabs.   

The gig workers are demanding a slew of changes along the lines of those announced by the Rajasthan government earlier this year, including plans to establish a welfare fund and enactment of the Gig Workers Welfare Act.

Source: Inc42

(Link and quotes via original reporting)