29 April 2025 : Around 150 Blinkit gig workers went on a strike in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh this weekend demanding fair pay, better working conditions and cotton uniforms for the summer. They now claim that the Zomato-owned grocery delivery platform responded by blocking their IDs – citing the strike as the reason – and made them sign an agreement to have their IDs unblocked.
HT.com has reached out to Blinkit for a response. This copy will be updated when the company responds.
Blinkit workers’ demands
Nirmal Gorana, National Coordinator, Gig and Platform Services Workers Union, told Deccan Herald that Blinkit suspended 150 delivery executives in retaliation for their two-day strike on Saturday and Sunday.
The gig workers were demanding an end to mandatory work hours between 12 to 4 pm, an increase in minimum wage, and basic amenities like shaded waiting areas and drinking water, Gorana said.
Visuals shared on social media by the Gig and Platform Services Workers Union (GIPSWU) show a group of Blinkit gig workers – dressed in their signature yellow uniform – holding up a placard demanding that the company stop harassing its riders.
The gig workers are demanding an “end to mandatory work between 12-4 pm and cotton uniforms for the summer, among other things.
Summary:
Blinkit gig workers have gone on strike demanding better pay, cotton uniforms, and improved working conditions, including access to drinking water and shaded waiting areas.