A gig that provides, and traps

Gig workers in India face harsh conditions, lack of social security benefits, and safety concerns, highlighting the of gig work.

For 25-year-old M. Anbarasan, a driver for a ride-hailing app in Chennai, the day begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. He drives a rented autorickshaw, and has been on the job for four years. Every day, he faces poor roads, difficult customers, frustrating traffic, and the relentless heat or rain. Asked how he manages to cope, Mr. Anbarasan replies, “What choice do we have?” The ‘choice’ perfectly encapsulates the irony of gig work. While one could argue that gig work offers flexibility — something that has attracted many young and middle-aged individuals who struggle to find traditional employment — activists and workers point to the staggering lack of agency these ‘delivery partners’ have.

According to the Code on Social Security 2020, a gig worker broadly means someone engaged in work or a work arrangement outside the traditional employer-employee relationship and earns an income from such activities. For the purpose of this article, however, it refers to ride-hailing app drivers and food or grocery delivery workers. According to a 2022 report by NITI Aayog, there were more than 10 million gig workers in India, and the number may rise to 23.5 million by 2030. None of them, termed ‘partners’ by the contracting firms, is entitled to the social security benefits provided to formal employees.

“Six years ago, I earned ₹600 for 10 orders; now, it’s just ₹250,” says S. Muthukumaran, a full-time worker for food delivery apps in Tiruchi for seven years. Riding 200 km daily, he makes ₹20,000-₹23,000 a month. But he spends ₹300 daily on fuel and ₹2,500 monthly on maintenance.

The delivery workers also complain about long rides on bad roads. It takes its toll on their health. “Often, I have to put up with shoulder pain and backache. But I have to pull along to make ends meet. Other jobs would not fetch me even ₹20,000-₹30,000 a month,” says a youth from Madurai.

For A. Priyalatha, a 35-year-old single mother from Lalgudi in Tiruchi, food delivery is a lifeline as well as a risk. She works at an Anganwadi from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and gets busy delivering orders with her two-wheeler from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. She works 13-hour shifts on Sundays to support her family. Safety is a major concern. “Drunk customers abuse us, and returning late can be terrifying,” she says, citing threats from stray dogs and intoxicated men.

D. Chithra, of Tambaram, a driver of an online ride-hailing service, says men book the bikes meant only for women to travel with female two-wheeler drivers. “Many travel properly, but some indulge in indecent behaviour. I’m not scared of them, and I ask them not to sit too close. But having to do that every day is uncomfortable. I now call up the customer to check whether it is a woman before accepting the ride,” she says.

Though some workers say they face no pressure over timely delivery, the nature of the job itself pushes them to complete each delivery as quickly as possible to receive the next as soon as they can. The preliminary results of a survey of 82 food and grocery delivery workers in Chennai show that most don’t take leave, and sometimes work on all days of the week, ruining the work-life balance. The survey was done by Sivaranchani M., a final-year student of M.Sc. Counselling Psychology, University of Madras, and Harini S., Guest Lecturer, Department of Counselling Psychology of the university.