Zomato, Swiggy offer higher incentives to delivery partners amid New Year’s Eve strike call
Swiggy has also increased incentives around the year-end, offering delivery workers earnings of up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1.
Swiggy has also increased incentives around the year-end, offering delivery workers earnings of up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1.
Swiggy has also increased incentives around the year-end, offering delivery workers earnings of up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1.
New Delhi: Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy are offering higher incentives to delivery partners, a practice they say is routine during festive periods, as gig workers’ unions have called for a nationwide strike on New Year’s Eve.
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have claimed that lakhs of workers are set to join the strike, demanding better payouts and improved working conditions.
Industry sources said the strike could impact food delivery and quick commerce services, including Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto, on one of the busiest days of the year.
Zomato is offering delivery partners payouts of ₹120 to ₹150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on December 31. It has also indicated potential earnings of up to ₹3,000 over the day, depending on order volumes and worker availability, people familiar with the matter said.
The platform has temporarily waived penalties for order denials and cancellations, they added, stressing that this is part of its standard operating protocol during high-demand festive and year-end periods.
“This is part of our standard annual operating protocol during festive periods, which typically see higher earning opportunities due to increased demand,” an Eternal spokesperson told PTI. Eternal owns Zomato and Blinkit.
Swiggy has also increased incentives around the year-end, offering delivery workers earnings of up to ₹10,000 across December 31 and January 1, according to people aware of the development. For New Year’s Eve, the platform is advertising peak-hour earnings of up to ₹2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am to ensure adequate rider availability.
In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India had confirmed participation in the strike as of Tuesday night, with numbers expected to rise further by evening.
The unions said the call follows a December 25 strike in several regions, including Telangana, alleging falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressures and lack of engagement from platform companies.
Separately, the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union also announced a nationwide strike on December 31, urging gig and app-based workers to log off platforms and refrain from providing services for the day to press for rights, welfare and dignity at work.