Concern over Zomato’s 10-minute delivery promise

Gig workers’ body say lives of delivery partners are being put at risk

Concerned over Zomato Instant, the restaurant aggregator’s 10-minute food delivery initiative, a gig workers’ association has issued a statement criticising the move, and emphasised that an incentive-driven system could put lives of delivery partners at risk.

In a media statement, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) president Shaik Salauddin said, “In the competition to become the fastest in providing groceries and meals and acquire more customers, the lives of delivery partners are being put at stake.”

He added that the aggregators who work with gig workers portray delivery executives as independent. However, with the work being incentive-driven, gig workers have no choice but to “chase” targets for incentives in already risky working conditions. These include dealing with traffic hazards and facing traffic violations.

Mr Salauddin urged Zomato “to look at their delivery workers as human beings” and not mere data points for the algorithm to manage. “Zomato should understand the stress and pressure it creates with these new services it launches forgetting that the workers are not machines,” he said.

While announcing Zomato Instant, the company assured that they do not pressurise delivery partners to deliver food faster. Delivery partners are not penalised for late deliveries, the company added.