As millions across India prepare to ring in 2026 with house parties and gourmet spreads ordered via an app, a shadow looms over the celebrations. The country’s gig workforce, the unseen backbone of the quick-commerce and food delivery ecosystem, has announced a nationwide strike for December 31.
Spearheaded by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), the industrial action threatens to cripple operations for giants like Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, and Blinkit on their most lucrative night of the year.
This escalation follows a “warning shot” fired on Christmas Day, where a similar walkout reportedly caused service disruptions of up to 60 percent in cities like Gurugram and Hyderabad. Shaik Salauddin, the founder-president of TGPWU and a prominent voice for gig workers, has framed the New Year’s Eve strike not just as a demand for better wages, but as a fight for basic human dignity, with the planned strike a clear sign to indicate that the Christmas disruptions were merely a trailer for the larger mobilization planned for New Year’s Eve.
At the heart of the dispute lies the contentious 10-minute delivery model, which unions argue compromises rider safety by incentivizing rash driving on congested winter roads. Beyond the pressure of the clock, the demands are structural and significant. The unions are calling for a minimum fare of ₹20 per kilometer, a cap on working hours, and the implementation of social security benefits such as health and accident insurance—provisions that remain elusive despite recent legislative discussions. Workers are also protesting the opacity of algorithmic management, specifically the arbitrary “ID blocking” or deactivation of accounts without due process, which effectively fires a worker without notice or recourse.
For the platforms, the timing could not be worse. New Year’s Eve typically witnesses record-breaking order volumes, with high-value ticket sizes driving immense revenue. In anticipation of the strike, insider reports suggest that companies are scrambling to mitigate the fallout by offering surged incentive pay to lure riders back onto the road. However, the unions remain steadfast, urging customers to recognize the human cost behind their convenience.
The standoff highlights a critical fracture in India’s booming digital economy. While consumers have grown accustomed to the luxury of instant gratification, the workforce powering it is increasingly vocal about being left behind. As the clock ticks down to midnight, the question remains whether the platforms can negotiate a truce or if India’s metropolises will face a silent, delivery-free start to the new year. For now, those planning to rely on an app for their New Year’s dinner might want to keep a backup plan in the kitchen.
