Fuel price hike: Gig and platform workers across India have announced a five-hour nationwide shutdown of app-based services to protest rising fuel costs and demand a minimum rate of Rs 20 per kilometre for delivery and transport work. The temporary halt, organised by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), is scheduled from 12 pm to 5 pm on Saturday (May 16).
What is the key reason for this action?
The union cited the recent petrol and diesel price increases- about Rs 3 per litre, the first significant nationwide hike in nearly four years- as a major blow to already thin earnings. GIPSWU said higher international crude prices and instability in global energy markets amid the West Asia conflict have pushed up domestic fuel prices, raising operational costs for workers who rely on two-wheelers.
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Scale and impact of nationwide shutdown
GIPSWU estimates nearly 1.2 crore gig and platform workers could be directly affected by the fuel price rise. The shutdown is expected to hit food delivery, ride-hailing, logistics and other app-based services, with platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato and Blinkit likely to see significant disruption during the five-hour window.
Union demands
The union has demanded a statutory or negotiated minimum service rate of Rs 20 per kilometre for delivery and transport workers to offset rising fuel and maintenance costs. It argues that current compensation structures and incentives are insufficient to cover the steep rise in daily expenses, threatening workers’ livelihoods.
“Fuel price increases and higher LPG costs have intensified financial pressure on workers who are already struggling with rising living costs,” said GIPSWU President Seema Singh. “If earnings are not revised to reflect increasing operational expenses, many gig workers will be forced to leave the sector.”
Call to government and platforms
The union urged both the central and state governments and digital platform companies to implement immediate relief measures, including a minimum per-kilometre rate and other compensatory adjustments. GIPSWU also asked platforms to adopt emergency support measures for the most vulnerable workers during the period of heightened costs.
Worker vulnerability and conditions
GIPSWU highlighted that delivery workers for quick-commerce and food apps are particularly exposed because they rely heavily on motorcycles and scooters and work long hours in demanding conditions. The union warned that without compensation changes, workers’ already precarious incomes will erode further.
The present mobilisation follows earlier collective action by gig workers. In December 2025, delivery workers organised a nationwide strike demanding better pay, the removal of the 10-minute delivery option and restoration of the prior payout structure. That protest highlighted long-standing grievances over pay structures, algorithmic management and lack of social security.
What are the potential consequences?
A five-hour shutdown could cause backlog and service delays for millions of customers, push platforms to offer partial compensations or emergency rates, and increase pressure on policymakers to engage with worker representatives. The move may also revive calls for stronger regulation of gig employment and guaranteed minimum earnings.
GIPSWU has asked platforms and authorities to respond to its demands within a specified timeframe and warned of further escalations, including longer strikes, if negotiations do not yield concrete relief for workers.
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