Hyderabad: With the company not relenting, thousands of Swiggy delivery executives in the city continued their strike on Friday with their demand of reverting back to the company’s old payment structure. Their income per delivery had been slasher by the company after which the personnel boycotted work earlier this week.
For customers, it has however been an unending in the Hyderabad due to the strike. “I and my brother both work as delivery boys,” said Mohan Reddy (24) who was participating at a protest at Ameerpet. “In the beginning, we had no work and were scared for our family. Also, our father requires medicines for his health. All this weighed heavily on our minds, and we couldn’t sleep for a few days and we haven’t received enough pay from the company,” he added.
The ongoing strike by over 3,000 food delivery executives of Swiggy in the city has been on since Tuesday, September 15. “There is reduction of order earning, incentive and per km charges by the management of Swiggy, which was introduced even as petrol prices continue to rise,” said Shaik Salauddin, General Secretary of Indian Federation of App-Based Transport (IFAT). “It has hit delivery executives hard who have to spend about Rs. 150 to 200 towards fuel charges a day,” he added.
The IFAT wrote a letter to Minister for IT & Industries and MAY&UD KT Rama Rao and also to Minister for Labour, Employment and Factories Ch. Malla Reddy asking for their help in getting the problem solved.
With the strike continuing, the delivery workers opine that customers and the state government need to support them by taking up their issue. “Customers need only press a few buttons from their home’s comforts and food will reach them. But the danger, money woes, and the stress is something only we delivery boys know,” said Abdul Kareem (26).