Zomato, Swiggy hike festive payouts as gig worker unions plan New Year’s Eve strike

Food delivery platforms Zomato and Swiggy are offering higher incentives to their delivery partners, a practice they say is standard during festive periods, to ensure minimal service disruptions on New Year’s Eve amid a nationwide strike call by gig workers’ unions.

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) have said that lakhs of workers are expected to participate in the strike, demanding better payouts and improved working conditions.

Industry sources said the strike could affect the operations of food delivery and quick commerce platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy, Blinkit, Instamart and Zepto on New Year’s Eve, a day that typically sees peak demand.

Zomato has offered delivery partners payouts ranging from Rs 120 to Rs 150 per order during peak hours between 6 pm and 12 am on New Year’s Eve. The platform has also promised earnings of up to Rs 3,000 over the course of the day, subject to order volumes and worker availability, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company has also temporarily waived penalties related to order denials and cancellations, they said, adding that this measure is part of its standard operating procedure during periods of high demand.

“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 the Zomato and Blinkit brands.

Swiggy has also increased incentives during the year-end period, offering delivery partners earnings of up to Rs 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 Rs 2,000 for the six-hour window between 6 pm and 12 am, with the aim of ensuring adequate rider availability during one of the busiest ordering periods of the year. Sources said such enhanced payouts are routinely offered during high-demand occasions.

In a joint statement, TGPWU and IFAT said, “As of last night, over 1.7 lakh delivery and app-based workers across India have confirmed participation, with numbers expected to rise further by evening.”

People familiar with the matter said that following the December 25 strike, during which thousands of delivery workers logged off platforms across Telangana and other regions, gig workers have announced an escalated nationwide strike on December 31, 2025, as stated in the joint statement issued by TGPWU and IFAT.

“The December 25 action sent a clear warning to platform companies about falling earnings, unsafe delivery pressure, and loss of dignity at work.

However, companies responded with silence — no rollback of reduced payouts, no dialogue with workers, and no concrete assurances on safety or working hours. This continued indifference has made today’s strike unavoidable,” the statement added.

Separately, the Gig and Platform Service Workers Union also announced a nationwide strike on December 31, 2025, to raise collective demands related to the rights, welfare and dignity of gig and platform workers across the country.

Issuing a call to action, the union said, “All gig workers, platform workers, digital platform workers, app-based workers, and online freelancers are earnestly requested to participate in the national strike by shutting down all work-related applications and abstaining from providing services on December 31, 2025, thereby making the strike united and effective.”

(With inputs from agencies)