The All India Coordination Committee of Road Transport Workers Organisers is holding a National Protest Day on Wednesday demanding relief and better protection for app-based workers, which the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) has said it would be supporting.
In a statement, Shaik Salauddin, the National General Secretary of IFAT said that 25 lakh workers who work in app-based transportation and delivery have been instrumental during the pandemic, but have suffered a loss of livelihood, and have mounting debts. IFAT said that while the government termed these persons as essential workforce, it did not do anything to provide them relief or protection.
“The app-based companies such as Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo also remained mostly apathetic and indifferent to the sufferings of these workers. Today it has become quite impossible for the app-based transport and delivery workers to continue working and earn a decent livelihood for survival,” Salauddin claimed.
As part of the protest, the demands include
> Withdrawing enhanced excise duty on petrol and diesel, rolling back price hikes since June 7
> Social security coverage, as well as app-based workers to be provided health insurance by the companies
> Implementation of national city taxi scheme
> Uber, Ola and other online aggregators bringing commission down to 5%
> Minimum wages for delivery workers starting at Rs 7,500 per month, as per state labour laws
> Waiver of road tax, vehicle tax, border tax, toll, permits etc. for 2020
> Waiver of additional interest on loan moratorium, extension of loan repayment by a year
IFAT Unions in the protest include Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, Chalak Shakti Sangh, Expert Drivers Solution (Delhi NCR), Rajasthan Vahan Chalak Sangh, Indian Delivery Lions Organisation (Jaipur), Namma Chalakara Trade Union (Bengaluru), Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh (Mumbai), Independent Taxi Drivers and Owners Association (Chennai), Telangana Four Wheelers Drivers Association (Hyderabad), Indian AC Cabs Trade Union (Lucknow), and Telangana State Taxi and Drivers Joint Action Committee (Telangana).