Gig Workers: Rights, Risks, and the Future of Platform Labour
Millions power India’s digital services but lack protections—legal security, fair pay, transparency, and safety must support the flexibility they bring.
What Are Gig Workers?
Gig workers perform short-term, task-based work through apps or informal arrangements, earning per ride, delivery, shift, or assignment. The model offers flexibility and easy entry into markets for migrants, students, and those without formal jobs. Yet most workers receive no paid leave, sick pay, or minimum wage protections. They bear rising fuel costs, equipment expenses, and uncertain earnings that depend on ratings and algorithmic allocation. Without stable incomes, many struggle with loans and emergencies. Gig work opens doors for millions—but exposes risks when digital platforms set rules without responsibility. As the sector grows, rights and protections must grow with it.
Key Issues
- Unpredictable earnings determined by ratings and algorithms.
- No paid leave or compensation during accidents and illness.
- Workers bear risk and expenses like fuel and vehicle maintenance.
- Opaque surge pricing, incentives, and sudden account deactivation.
- Weak grievance systems and limited negotiation power.
Why Protections Matter
Gig work sustains growing urban economies and convenience services, but without legal safeguards, flexibility is traded for instability. Workers face long hours, intense competition, and safety hazards—often without accident coverage or income support. Algorithms determine access to work and can lower earnings overnight without explanation. Health crises, fuel price spikes, and account blocks push many into debt. Ensuring transparency in pricing, payouts, and policies is essential. Legal recognition empowers workers to claim rights collectively, demanding fairness not charity. The future must protect dignity: those who deliver for us must not be left behind.
India’s Policy Response
India has recognised gig workers under the Code on Social Security, 2020, enabling schemes for insurance, pensions, and maternity benefits. Rajasthan’s 2023 Platform-Based Gig Workers Act goes further: mandating registration, creating a welfare board, and introducing a cess on platform turnover to fund protections. Digital IDs like e-Shram aim to make benefits portable when workers switch apps or cities. Yet implementation remains uneven and slow, with limited coverage beyond urban hubs. Effective enforcement, grievance systems, and transparency will determine whether the law truly delivers security alongside flexibility.
Challenges Ahead
Gig workers often lack bargaining power and reliable access to information. Rural and small-town workers remain undercounted and underserved. Platform resistance to higher contributions may delay rollout of protections. Low benefit levels and complex registration requirements reduce uptake. Workers face sudden deactivation without due process, and dispute resolution remains weak. Better data, worker representation, and statewide awareness campaigns are essential. Fair innovation—not exploitation—must drive India’s platform economy.
A Future Based on Fairness
The gig economy will keep expanding—but it must expand responsibly. Ensuring minimum earnings, accident coverage, and transparent work allocation strengthens both workers and platforms. Collective voice through unions and digital worker groups can improve accountability and safety norms. Social protection must be portable, simple to access, and rooted in dignity. When rights accompany flexibility, gig workers can thrive in India’s modern economy while securing their future.