‘Let’s Shine a Light on Gig Workers’ Struggle This Diwali’: India’s Gig Workers, Women-Led Union Calls for ‘Digital Strike’
‘Let’s Shine a Light on Gig Workers’ Struggle This Diwali’: India’s Gig Workers, Women-Led Union Calls for ‘Digital Strike’
The Gig and Platform Workers Union (GIPSWU) urges gig workers to go silent, halting app-based services across major cities on October 31 to demand basic rights and protections.
In a bold move to spotlight the plight of gig workers this festive season, India’s first women-led gig workers’ union, the Gig and Platform Workers Union (GIPSWU), has called for a “digital strike” on Diwali. Scheduled for October 31, the union has urged gig workers to turn off their devices, halt work, and post images with their families on social media as a statement of solidarity and a call for recognition of their rights.
With an estimated 10,000-15,000 gig workers from Maharashtra alone expected to participate, this protest will impact major app-based services in cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Bangalore. Platforms such as Ola, Swiggy, Zomato, and Urban Company will face significant interruptions, urging employers and the public to acknowledge the challenges faced by these workers, whose efforts are often overlooked.
“We’re treated like slaves, working hard but getting nothing in return,” said Selvi, a Bangalore-based union leader. “We hope this strike reveals the harsh truth of our working conditions.”
The gig economy has expanded rapidly in India, employing millions on flexible contracts but offering little by way of minimum wages, health protections, or security. According to the GIPSWU, gig workers are subjected to harassment, discrimination, and even violence, and are left without benefits like maternity leave, pensions, or insurance schemes. Many workers have come forward, voicing their frustration over being excluded from worker protections typically offered to formal employees.
The GIPSWU demands a stronger legal framework to protect gig workers, including social security provisions like access to the Employees’ Provident Fund, pension schemes, and deposit-linked insurance. The union also calls for the right to form associations for collective bargaining, a move that could help prevent exploitation and discrimination in the gig economy.
A Diwali Protest with Purpose
By staging this strike on Diwali, a time of joy and celebration, GIPSWU aims to “light a fire under those in power.” As GIPSWU leader Nisha Panwar from Maharashtra explains, “We’re using this festival to make noise and demand the right to work with dignity.” Seema Singh, a Delhi-based leader, added, “While others are celebrating Diwali, we are fighting for our basic rights.”
The union hopes this unique form of protest will resonate with the public, urging them to recognize the vital yet undervalued role of gig workers in modern society. The “digital strike” is one step in GIPSWU’s ongoing efforts to demand better working conditions and fair treatment for India’s gig workforce.
