Context:

Recently, women gig workers organised a nationwide digital strike, called ‘Black Diwali’, to protest against exploitative labour practices in the gig economy.

More on news:

• The digital strike was called by the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU), the first union is focused on women gig workers in India
• Women gig workers chose Diwali to stage a digital strike, calling it a “Black Diwali.” Therefore, it received significant media coverage and support from citizens and gig workers.
• The GIPSWU calls for collective action against unfair labour practices, including misclassification and biased ratings that lead to job insecurity.

About Gig Workers:

• According to the Code on Social Security, 2020, “A gig worker is a person who performs work or participates in work arrangements and earns from such activities, outside of the traditional employer-employee relationship.”
• They are independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers.

About Gig Economy

• It reflects a free-market system where organisations engage in short-term hiring or contracting of workers to address specific company needs.
• Ola, Uber, Zomato, and Swiggy, among others, have become pivotal players in India's gig economy.

Current Situation about Gig Economy in India

• According to a NITI Aayog 2022 report on the gig economy, the gig workforce has the potential to increase to 2.35 crore by 2030.
• According to ASSOCHAM, India’s gig economy is growing at a CAGR of 17 per cent. Nearly 60 per cent of tech industry organisations are now investing in gig workers.

Several Issues highlighted by GIPSWU:

• Reinforced Gender Roles: Several Online Platforms often assign women to jobs traditionally designated as female, such as beauticians, cooks, or housekeepers.
• Job Security and Ratings: Women’s job security frequently depends on platform ratings and accepting “auto-assigned” tasks, but generally, refusal can lead to “illegal termination.”
• Dystopian Reality: This creates a harsh reality where individuals are rated constantly and reduced to statistics.
• Targeting Vulnerable Women: Many GIPSWU members are single mothers or survivors of domestic violence. Therefore, they are driven to platform jobs due to limited options. Several Companies capitalise on their vulnerability which makes it difficult to unionise effectively.
• AI-Driven Management: Labor laws are sidestepped using AI-driven algorithms that manage workers in opaque and impersonal ways.

GISPWU highlighted some key points related to false promises and autonomy to Women’s gig workers:

• Misleading Advertising: Platforms advertise “freedom” and “flexibility” to attract women, but these promises are often misleading.
• Unseen Pressures: Women feel pressure to meet high targets while balancing gig work with other commitments.
• Financial Strain: Despite the promised autonomy, many workers bear heavy financial costs, from transportation to platform fees, without fair compensation or social security.

Government Measures: Related to the Gig Economy

• Code on Social Security, 2020: It frames suitable social security schemes for gig workers and platform workers on matters relating to life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, etc.
• e-Shram portal for registration and creation of a Comprehensive National Database of Unorganized Workers including gig workers and platform workers. 
• According to the Code on Wages, 2019, a universal minimum wage and floor wage should be provided to all organised and unorganised sectors, including gig workers.
• Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act, 2023 (RGW), a pioneering state-level initiative to offer social security to gig workers.

Some recommendations are given by GISPWU

• It recommended that companies should establish fair and transparent payment system structures to protect gig workers.
• It recommended that governments should reconsider the gig, platform and e-commerce workers as ‘gig’ for a short period (approx. 18 to 24 months).
• It also recommended that regulators should ensure a minimum wage for gig workers.

Conclusion

The GIPSWU aims to sustain a long-term strategy with a nuanced approach to policy advocacy. This digital strike has strengthened worker solidarity and demonstrated the power of grassroots movements.