Gig workers raise pitch for rights & welfare Bill

Hyderabad : Over 4.2 lakh gig and platform workers in Telangana have appealed to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to pass the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers (Rights and Welfare) Bill, 2024.

They urged the government to implement strict laws, create welfare boards, provide social security benefits like ESI, PF, maternity, and pension, and ensure fair wages at a time when quick-commerce workers are increasing rapidly in the city and State. However, there is no social security or other provision for gig workers.

According to workers, there are over 4.2 lakh gig workers working with different firms across the State; 85 per cent are in Hyderabad. The number of workers are rapidly increasing in city, State, and across the country, but they lack government laws and other benefits. The platforms were initiated in 2012, and since then there have been no laws, no social security, and no demands of workers have been fulfilled.

“The Congress government has promised to protect the livelihoods of gig workers, but nothing has been done so far,” said Shaik Salauddin, president-founder of the Telangana Gig and Platforms Workers Union (TGPWU). He said, “The government promised to develop a government-run app, but it has not materialised so far.” He highlighted the need for comprehensive measures to protect the rights and welfare of gig and platform workers. Salauddin said, “MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi also met TGPWU leaders this week and discussed issues and assured to raise their demands in the State Assembly.”

The workers demand they be treated as employees and implement a social security code. As per the Code on Social Security (Central) Rules, 2020 gig and platform workers are eligible for life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, education (to be offered by the Centre) and PF, employment injury benefit, housing, educational schemes for children, skill upgradation, funeral assistance, and old age homes (to be offered by the State). However, several of these measures remain unimplemented, Salauddin said.

The app-based workers’ online platforms include Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Rapido, Blinkit, Shadowfax, Zepto, Amazon, Big Basket, Dunzo, Flipkart, and Urban Company.