" India’s women gig workers fight for a better future", 30 July 2024

A year after women staged mass protests against the job conditions at India’s popular home services app, Urban Company, female gig workers face a tough present and a highly uncertain future.

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A decade ago, Urban Company emerged as a beacon of hope for women wanting to gain economic independence in a country with one of the lowest numbers of female workers in the world — on their own terms and in their own time.

But as the years have passed, workers say the company has stripped away their flexibility and autonomy.

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Many say the pressure to perform for an ever more demanding algorithm is unsustainable. If clients rate them poorly and their score drops, they risk being blocked from the app — either temporarily or permanently if their performance does not improve.

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Urban Company said it invests significant funds into onboarding each worker and helps workers keep their ratings up by offering feedback and retraining.

It also said workers continue to enjoy flexibility because they receive work based on when they mark their availability on the app. Women can take leave and are offered three “emergency passes” in case they have to miss a booking.

The company is working to reduce the number of workers who have to leave the app, a spokesperson said. [Read Urban Company’s full response here]