Gig workers meet Rahul Gandhi, demand central law for their rights

A delegation of transport and delivery gig workers met Rahul Gandhi to demand central legislation for their rights. The union president lauded Karnataka's law and urged other Congress-ruled states to implement similar regulations for their welfare.

A delegation of transport and delivery gig workers met the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to discuss the need for legislation from the Centre and implementations of regulations in Congress-ruled states, the Telangana Gig And Platform Workers Union's Founder President said. Speaking to ANI on Friday, Union President Shaik Salauddin said the delegation outlined the problems faced by gig workers during the half-hour meeting.

Salauddin said, "This delegation included drivers and delivery workers from the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers. In Congress-ruled states, and even where we serve as the opposition, the election promises made to these workers have been acted upon. At the central level, the government is providing social-security schemes, but that is not a substitute for statutory law." Further, he lauded the Congress government in Karnataka for bringing in a legislation to aid the gig workers. "There was a detailed discussion. For about half an hour, the delegation described their problems one by one. We called on Congress governments in states where implementation has stalled to act promptly. We again congratulated Karnataka for being the first state to introduce a comprehensive law," he added.

Nationwide Protest Over Falling Incomes

The meeting came in the backdrop of an All-India Breakdown on February 7 (Saturday), announced by app-based transport workers affiliated with the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), protesting falling incomes and increasing exploitation in the platform transport sector. The nationwide protest will involve drivers and delivery workers associated with major platforms, including Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter, and other app-based transport services.

According to the unions, the agitation is being organised against the continued failure of the Central and State Governments to notify minimum base fares under the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025. Despite these guidelines, aggregator companies continue to unilaterally set fares, pushing workers into unsustainable working conditions and forcing longer working hours with declining earnings. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)