Safety, pay and job security drive Urban Company gig workers’ protest in Gurugram

By A Representative 

Gig and platform service workers associated with Urban Company have stepped up their protest against what they describe as exploitative and unsafe working conditions, submitting a detailed Memorandum of Demands at the company’s Udyog Vihar office in Gurugram. The action is being seen as part of a wider and growing wave of dissatisfaction among gig workers across India, many of whom have resorted to demonstrations, app log-outs and strikes in recent months to press for fair pay, job security and basic labour protections.

Workers who gathered peacefully said the memorandum reflects long-standing grievances that have remained unaddressed despite repeated representations. They pointed to unsafe working environments, especially for women, arbitrary blocking of worker IDs amounting to instant termination, opaque rating systems, heavy deductions, and declining earnings as key reasons behind the current unrest. The demands include a minimum monthly earning guarantee of ₹40,000, an end to arbitrary ID blocking, withdrawal of peak-hour and slot-based punitive systems, transparent ratings, proper human customer support and formal recognition of service providers as workers rather than “partners”.

Union leaders said the protest must be viewed in the context of mounting anger among gig workers nationwide, who increasingly feel trapped between algorithm-driven controls and the absence of legal recognition. Seema Singh, President of the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union, said women workers face particular hardship, noting that safety concerns are often ignored and even emergency leave during menstrual periods is difficult to obtain, with complaints sometimes resulting in penalties rather than redress. Such conditions, she said, have pushed many women workers to the brink and contributed to the wider mood of resistance in the sector.

Nirmal Gorana, Convener of the National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour, warned that the present gig work regime risks creating conditions akin to forced labour. Referring to India’s commitment under Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 to eradicate bonded labour by 2030, he said the goal would remain unattainable unless governments and platforms address the reality of platform-based work. He linked the current protest to similar actions by delivery riders, cab drivers and other app-based workers, arguing that strikes and collective actions are emerging because institutional dialogue has failed.

Individual workers echoed these concerns, with Gunjan, a service worker, saying her ID was blocked without explanation, effectively ending her livelihood overnight. She said thousands face similar actions without any avenue for appeal, a situation that has fuelled growing calls for collective resistance, including strike action, across platforms.

The memorandum submitted to Urban Company also raises issues such as unpaid customer cancellations, rigid service-level agreements, forced bundle bookings, mandatory photo uploads, compulsory product sales and lack of clarity in insurance coverage. Workers said these practices increase stress and costs while reducing actual take-home pay, deepening frustration and pushing more workers towards coordinated protests.

Union representatives said they are seeking dialogue with Urban Company management but warned that continued silence or inaction would only intensify mobilisation. With gig workers across cities increasingly coordinating actions and voicing their demands in public, Thursday’s protest in Gurugram is being seen as another signal that the platform economy is facing a critical moment, with workers demanding dignity, security and a fair share in a rapidly expanding sector.