Twelve days after Swiggy delivery executives in Hyderabad went on a strike over their pay structure, Swiggy will be meeting with delivery executives in the city over the next few days to understand and clarify their concerns. This came after the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT), which has been leading the strike, met Telangana’s Joint Commissioner of Labour (Ranga Reddy Zone) R Chandrashekaram detailing their issues. A meeting was then convened by the JC between IFAT and Swiggy’s management.
The JC told TNM that Swiggy volunteered to address issues with delivery executives directly. Swiggy confirmed the same to TNM. “Over the next few days, we will continue to understand and clarify any concerns a handful of our partners have through direct contact with them,” a company spokesperson said.
If concerns of delivery executives are not resolved post this, the labour department will intervene and convene a meeting between both parties, Chandrashekaram said.
Swiggy delivery executives in Hyderabad have alleged labour exploitation after Swiggy reduced the base component of their earnings from Rs 35 to Rs 15 during the lockdown. This, delivery executives say, has severely impacted their income.
Earlier this week, Zomato delivery executives too, joined the strike briefly over similar demands.
Over the past two weeks, delivery executives have been demanding that the base pay be restored to Rs 35, a minimum guarantee of Rs 120 during peak lunch hours, increasing restaurant wait time pay out, extra pay out of Rs 20 for late night orders after 11pm. They have also alleged that surge incentives and rain incentives have been removed and that these be restored as well.
Swiggy, however, has maintained that most delivery partners in Hyderabad make over Rs 45 per order, with the highest performing partners making over Rs 75 per order. “This Rs. 15 is only one of the many components of the service fee. Naturally, no active delivery partners in Hyderabad have made only Rs 15 per order in the last four weeks,” a company spokesperson said during the beginning of the strike.
While services were disrupted during the initial days of the protest, Swiggy told TNM that as of September 24, Swiggy is operational in 98% of Hyderabad.
“Over the last couple of days, we have had a positive dialogue with our partners to explain the revised pay-outs and assuage their concerns. Most of our partners have understood the strong earning potential, as a result of which close to 4700 partners have logged on to Swiggy in the last two days,” a company spokesperson told TNM.
“With the beginning of the cricketing season and the surge in orders in the city, most of those who delivered with us over the past five days made an average of over Rs 60 per order,” the statement added.
Over the past few days, delivery executives have been kneeling down at various places and protesting. However, Swiggy has maintained that there is no on-going strike since 96% of its fleet has logged onto Swiggy over the past few days.
“As a result of a constructive dialogue that clarified any misgiving around their earnings, 96% of our fleet has logged onto Swiggy over the last two days. Thus, factually speaking there is no ongoing strike in Hyderabad. We have been in direct and constant touch with our partners throughout this duration,” Swiggy said.
However, delivery executives TNM spoke to claimed that they didn’t receive any communication from Swiggy about their issues being addressed and that delivery executives were logging in because of the IPL incentives that were being offered.
“We got updates about a limited offer where we can earn Rs 4000 for 70 orders and Rs 8000 for 130 orders that is valid till October 11. There are also one-day offers with a guaranteed bonus of Rs 500,” one delivery executive told TNM.
Shaik Salauddin, national general secretary of IFAT told TNM that delivery executives wouldn’t want to let go of opportunities to earn a good income. “They are logging in to take advantage of the new offers, but it doesn’t mean that our concerns have been addressed. We have been protesting for the past 13 days and will continue to do so till our demands are addressed,” he said.
Over the past two weeks, IFAT, on behalf of delivery executives has written to IT Minister KT Rama Rao, Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, Labour and Employment minister C Malla Reddy, and Hyderabad Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and G Kishan Reddy, among others in a bid to highlight their concerns, requesting intervention.