Ola, Uber, Rapido Drivers to Join Nationwide Strike Today

App-based cab drivers and delivery workers across the country have announced a nationwide work stoppage today (February 7), to protest shrinking earnings and what they describe as growing exploitation in the gig economy.

The call for an “All-India Breakdown” has been given by unions representing platform workers, including the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT). Drivers and riders associated with popular services such as Ola, Uber, Rapido, Porter and other app-based platforms are expected to take part in the protest.

Union leaders say the agitation is aimed at highlighting the failure of both the Centre and state governments to fix minimum fares for app-based transport services, despite clear rules being in place. According to them, the absence of government-notified base fares has allowed companies to set prices on their own terms, leaving workers to cope with rising costs, longer working hours and falling take-home income.

Shaik Salauddin, founder president of TGPWU and national general secretary of IFAT, said that platform companies are lowering fares at will while pushing all risks onto workers. He added that existing rules require governments to consult recognised worker unions before finalising fares, but this has not been implemented, worsening the situation for drivers and delivery partners.

The announcement comes against the backdrop of earlier nationwide protests by gig workers. On December 31, delivery workers linked to IFAT had staged a countrywide strike, flagging issues such as low pay, lack of job security and the absence of basic social protection. Many delivery agents had then said that despite spending long hours on the road, their earnings had steadily declined, putting them under financial stress.

The upcoming protest is expected to disrupt cab and delivery services in several cities, especially during peak hours, as workers press for fair pricing, better working conditions and stronger safeguards in the rapidly growing platform economy.

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