NewsStocksDeepak Shenoy Explains Limited Gig Worker Strike Participation as Food Platforms Report Order SurgeDeepak Shenoy Explains Limited Gig Worker Strike Participation as Food Platforms Report Order Surge
Deepak Shenoy attributed limited gig worker strike participation to delivery personnel not feeling sufficiently oppressed to sacrifice income, while food platforms Swiggy, Zomato, and Magicpin reported order surges on New Year's Eve. Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal defended the delivery model, explaining rapid deliveries result from store density rather than pressure on delivery partners. Despite over 1 lakh workers participating across 22 cities according to GIPSWU, operational impact remained minimal.
*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.
Food delivery platforms experienced a surge in orders on New Year's Eve despite calls for a gig workers' strike, prompting industry commentary on the limited participation and effectiveness of the protest action.
Shenoy's Analysis on Strike Participation
Capitalmind Financial Services founder Deepak Shenoy attributed the muted strike response to delivery personnel not feeling "oppressed enough" to sacrifice their income. In a post on X, Shenoy elaborated: "Almost everyone cribs about their job. Even founders do, but they don't have anyone to blame. It's ok to feel like you deserve more, but entirely something else to give up your income for that ask."
Shenoy also highlighted the efficiency of the delivery system from a consumer perspective, noting deliveries sometimes take less than 10 minutes due to dark stores located within 200 metres of customers.
Platform Performance During Strike
Despite the strike calls, food delivery platforms reported strong operational performance:
| Platform Performance: | New Year's Eve Impact |
|---|---|
| Order Volume: | Significant surge reported |
| Operational Impact: | Negligible disruption |
| Platforms Affected: | Swiggy, Zomato, Magicpin |
Zomato CEO Defends Delivery Model
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal responded to criticism by explaining the operational mechanics behind rapid deliveries. Goyal emphasized that the company's 10-minute delivery promise is "enabled by the density of stores around your homes" rather than pressuring delivery partners to drive faster.
Goyal provided specific operational details:
- Riders typically travel under two kilometres
- Average speed maintained at 15 kmph
- Many Indians "voluntarily take up platform work and sometimes even prefer it to regular jobs"
Goyal acknowledged that while no system is perfect, the delivery model is often misunderstood on social media "by people who don't understand how our system works and why." He concluded: "If I were outside the system, I would also believe that gig workers are being exploited, but that's not true."
Strike Participation and Demands
According to the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU), the strike saw participation from over 1 lakh workers across 22 cities, including 14,000 members from major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai. The workers' primary demands centered on higher pay and better working conditions, though the agitation had minimal impact on platform operations during the New Year's Eve period.
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