"Women gig workers call for ‘digital strike’ on Deepavali day", 27 October, 2024

The Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU), India’s first union of women gig workers who work for platforms and aggregators, has called for a ‘digital strike’ on October 31, the day of Deepavali...

GIPSWU’s demands include recognition of gig workers as employees of platform companies, dignified working conditions, implementation of statutory minimum wages, establishment of grievance redressal mechanisms for workers and acknowledgment of workers’ rights to association and collective bargaining.

The Union also has demanded that the Central and State governments step up to regulate employment in the gig economy through labour laws, extend social security rights such as EPF, employees’ pension scheme and more and make the Maternity Benefits Act applicable to the sector.

Selvi, a union officebearer from Bengaluru, noted, “They say we are free to work whenever we want, but it’s a lie. We are going on strike to show everyone how bad things are for us.”