The Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU) has called for a nationwide temporary shutdown of app-based delivery and transport services between 12 pm and 5 pm on Saturday, 17 May 2025, demanding a minimum payment of ₹20 per kilometre for gig workers in the wake of the latest fuel price hike. The union estimates that nearly 1.2 crore gig and platform workers across India stand to be directly affected by the rise in fuel costs.

What Triggered the Shutdown Call

Oil marketing companies (OMCs) recently raised petrol and diesel prices by approximately ₹3 per litre — the first major nationwide fuel price revision in nearly four years. GIPSWU attributed the hike to elevated international crude oil prices and continued instability in global energy markets, linked in part to the ongoing West Asia conflict. The union argues that the increase, compounded by higher LPG cylinder rates, has sharply eroded the take-home earnings of workers who depend on two-wheelers for daily operations.

What the Union Is Demanding

GIPSWU is urging both the central government and digital platform companies to institute a statutory minimum service rate of ₹20 per kilometre for delivery and transport workers. The union contends that current compensation structures have remained stagnant even as operational costs — fuel, vehicle maintenance, and living expenses — have climbed steadily. Without a revision, the union warns, a significant number of gig workers may be compelled to exit the sector altogether.

Who Is Most Vulnerable

GIPSWU President Seema Singh specifically flagged workers associated with platforms such as Swiggy, Zomato, and Blinkit as particularly exposed. These workers, she said, rely heavily on motorcycles and scooters, clock long hours, and frequently operate in extreme weather conditions — all while absorbing fuel costs that platforms have not adjusted for. Singh stated that the fuel price increase, alongside rising LPG rates, has intensified financial pressure on workers already struggling with higher living costs.

A Pattern of Worker Unrest

This is not the first time India's gig workforce has mobilised over pay and conditions. In December 2025, gig and quick-commerce delivery workers had staged a nationwide strike protesting unfair working conditions, low wages, and the absence of social security benefits. At that time, workers had demanded the removal of the 10-minute delivery option and the restoration of earlier payout structures. Saturday's shutdown represents an escalation of those grievances, now sharpened by the fuel cost shock.

What Happens Next

The five-hour service blackout, if observed widely, is likely to disrupt food delivery, ride-hailing, and logistics services in major urban centres during peak afternoon hours. Industry observers will watch whether platform companies respond with any interim fare or payout adjustments, and whether the government signals any regulatory intervention on gig worker compensation — a debate that has been building since the Code on Social Security, 2020 first recognised gig workers as a distinct labour category.