Riders affiliated with Swiggy, the Bengaluru-based food delivery platform, initiated an "indefinite strike" in Mumbai on October 8, demanding improved working conditions and higher payouts, according to reports. The strike is organized by the 'Swiggy unit' of Rashtriya Karamchari Sena, a workers' union associated with the Maharashtra-ruling Shiv Sena party.
Videos circulating on social media depict Swiggy workers conducting bike rallies with placards to underscore their demands. The strike has disrupted Swiggy's services in the Mumbai region, preventing users from placing orders for food and groceries through Instamart on the company's app.
Protesting riders expressed the need for "higher payouts" and voiced their grievances about diminishing earnings. Some claimed that after several years with the company, their pay had significantly decreased, with riders having to cover long distances for minimal compensation, especially considering the rising fuel prices.
As of now, the company has not issued an official statement in response to the strike.
It's worth noting that delivery executives' earnings typically consist of three components: the payout per order based on the distance traveled, incentive pay, and surge pay.
This strike in Mumbai follows a similar one by Swiggy riders in Chennai earlier this year, which centered on the demand for higher payouts per order.
In the past, riders working with Blinkit, owned by Zomato, also initiated a strike in Delhi-NCR, alleging a reduction in their wages due to changes in the payout structu