However, as convenience lures consumers to switch to online delivery platforms, given the intensity of heatwaves, the question is convenience at whose expense? 

India has digitalised over the years and the way families nationwide carry out shopping errands evolved. Today, more and more people living in urban cities are dependent on online shopping for their daily grocery needs. 

The gig platforms, providing time-bound delivery have expanded phenomenally as a result. Not only the grocery or food delivery gig platforms, but the cab-hailing platforms have also emerged in a big way to be a part of peoples’ lives.

While the gig economy is celebrated for creating a large number of flexible jobs, there have been a host of issues with numerous gig platforms on how far they provide a healthy environment for their workers. 

According to a report by NITI Aayog, it was estimated that in 2020, 7.7 million workers were engaged in the gig economy. The number of workers is expected to expand to 23.5 million by 2030.

While the gig economy has a bright outlook, the "dark side" cannot be overlooked. A recent study, titled ‘Prisoners On Wheels’ by the People’s Association in Grassroots Action and Movements (PAIGAM), and the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers, with technical support from the University of Pennsylvania and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung India, a German foundation, has brought out the poor work conditions of many workers. 

The study surveyed 5,302 cab drivers and 5,082 delivery drivers across 8 cities in India, uncovering various issues that continue to affect workers employed by gig platforms and cab-hailing platforms. 

According to the study, over 83 per cent of drivers working for cab-hailing platforms work for over 10 hours a day, with close to 60 per cent working for over 12 hours a day, and another 31 per cent working for over 14 hours a day.

More harrowing are the figures found about the earnings of these workers. The earnings of over 43 per cent of the drivers indicate that they make less than Rs 500 per day after deducting all expenses, including food and fuel.

Whereas, the study notes that on average 55 per cent of all gig workers work for 10 to 12 hours a day, and around 20 per cent work for 12-14 hours a day.

Over 34 per cent of the delivery persons earn less than Rs 10,000 a month after deducting all their monthly expenses, as per the study. Moreover, nearly 32 per cent of the respondents reportedly earn between Rs 200 to 400 a day, while almost the same percentage reported earning between Rs 400 to 600 on an average daily after deducting their expenses.

If we add the critical issue of heatwaves to the already deteriorating conditions of these workers, the plight of these workers will be more torturous. The Indian Meteorological Department has predicted that 2024 will be the hottest year ever recorded.

Helplessness Reverbing On The Ground

Experts highlight the complacency of the companies has left these gig workers to fend for themselves. Apekshita Varshney, Founder of HeatWatch, recently conducted an awareness session with gig workers and members of the Telangana Platform and Gig Workers Union on extreme heat.

She explained how gig workers are experiencing exhaustion, dehydration, and severe health risks working outdoors in extreme heat conditions. She suggested that the lack of support by the companies to the workers has made the issue more acute.

“There is limited clarity from platforms on the mechanisms they've rolled out on heat prevention. Gig workers highlight that they are often charged for the bare minimum provisions provided such as energy drinks or a T-shirt with a more breathable fabric. There’s also limited implementation of platforms’ promises of setting up resting areas or having on-call doctors,” Varshney told The Secretariat.

Speaking to The Secretariat, Dhanu Kumar, a gig worker delivering groceries for Zepto in the NCR area explained how after 10 am, the heat makes it difficult for him to do his job. 

“I face dehydration and headaches very often after working during peak afternoon hours. The employer doesn’t give us any relief regarding this, nor do they provide us with any gear to combat the heat. At times we are expected to climb up the stairs to deliver the order to the customers, this becomes a tougher task after driving during peak afternoon hours because of the heat,” Kumar said. 

He highlighted how his rating will be affected if he fails to cater to the consumers’ needs at the expense of his health. It is to be noted that if the rating drops for a gig worker, it results in him getting less work. The riders or gig workers can also be removed from the platform if the rating drops below a certain standard.

Among his bare minimum demands, were for him to get paid breaks after working during peak heat hours, and for the companies to provide him with heat-resilient gear, as well as to get compensated adequately for working during extreme heat conditions.

Guddu Kumar, a gig worker working for Zomato, shared his ordeal and echoed what Dhanu had said. He also highlighted the issue of ID termination. 

“If we fail to hold up certain standards, our rider IDs get terminated and as a result, we lose the gig. We don’t have any redressal mechanism either. This forces us to do whatever the customer desires, which at times can also be climbing long flights of stairs after driving during peak heat hours,”

These accounts underscore the need for policy support and intervention. Not only that, but these issues also trigger a need for the gig platform firms to reflect on their policies and overhaul the system to safeguard the workers.

The Urgent Need For Policy Support

“While the government boasts about how the gig economy has created employment, it fails to cater to the gig workers and address their concerns. They seem to cater more to the gig companies than these workers who are being exploited in numerous ways,” CPI MP P Santhosh Kumar told The Secretariat. 

Kumar noted, “These gig workers are not getting adequate compensation for their work. I believe that their employers should compensate them separately for the petrol as well as for working in extreme weather conditions, such as during the ongoing heatwave”.

“There is an urgent need for separate legislation that safeguards these gig workers as their numbers are bound to grow in the future,” added the MP. He suggested that the government can draw inspiration from the Gig Worker Act of Rajasthan, which provides a safety net for gig workers. 

However, he added, “There is a need for such an act to be broadened, where it addresses the issue of such workers working in extreme weather conditions as well.”

Rajasthan became a pioneer in legislating an act safeguarding gig workers when it passed the Gig Worker Act back on July 24, 2023. The Act establishes the Platform Based Gig Workers Welfare Board to register platform gig workers, aggregators, and primary employers. The Board monitors payments made on the platforms. 

It also introduces a social security and welfare fund for the benefit of registered platform-based gig workers. Registered workers can file complaints with the competent authority, and employers who violate the law may face heavy penalties.

While comprehensive legislation is a must, there is also a need for the gig platform to autonomously, work towards a healthier ecosystem for the workers.

Interventions From A Business Standpoint

Richa Saxena, Associate Professor at the Institute of Management and Technology, Ghaziabad speaking on the issue, highlighted several things that the companies can do to be better from a business perspective.

“For the gig workers as well as drivers working for cab hailing platforms, working under extreme heat conditions increases the level of precarity for them. I believe the companies should look at the issue from a long-term perspective and redress the concerns,” she noted.

However, she highlighted that doing so will help the company establish a healthy ecosystem for the workers. She also added that while It may pinch the pockets of the companies, it will result in better productivity in the long run.

Among her suggestions were: “The companies could look at using surcharge during extreme weather conditions, which is being followed in Vietnam.  It will help the order frequency to go down and also give more compensation to the workers for their work.”

She also suggested that the companies could also look at the UAE, where mandatory breaks for gig workers during extreme weather conditions are enforced.

Saxena also called for an update in the app interface of the gig platforms to include weather forecasting as well as health tips to make the workers more aware as well as help them be educated about possible solutions.

Saxena’s suggestions do indeed help redress the issue. However, given the competition of the gig platforms in the market, it is likely the companies will continue with business as usual in a misplaced bid to be on top of the competition. The lower the delivery fee, the more reason for consumers to opt for them.

What Can The Next Government Do?

A social security net for the workers working in the gig economy is imperative. As suggested earlier, the Centre can draw inspiration from Rajasthan and include steps to address the climate issue in it as well. 

Another possibility where the government can redress the issues of workers lies in the draft of the Social Security Code 2020. The bill was drafted in 2020 and has hung fire since. 

The draft of these codes addresses numerous issues, similar to the one of Rajasthan’s gig worker act. The draft bill largely addresses and safeguards people working in the informal sector, however, the government is likely to include workers on gig platforms as well. 

The draft of the bill lays out a framework for establishing health insurance, provident funds, and more, similar to the Rajasthan Gig Worker Act. 

The next government may already have a lot on its plate. However, the issue of safeguarding gig workers also needs to be given priority, as we continue to see how climate change is altering the future of work. The issue of climate justice needs to be addressed for them too.