Women Gig Workers Advocate for Swift Implementation of New Law

Quick Summary:

• Hundreds of women gig workers from Urban Company protested at the company’s Karnataka headquarters on Thursday.
• They demanded immediate implementation of the karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Act, 2025.
• Workers raised key concerns, including arbitrary ID blocking, unfair rating systems, forced product purchases, distant job allocations without compensation, and inadequate grievance redressal mechanisms for harassment and abuse by customers.
• the protest highlighted dissatisfaction with new policies introduced under the Partner Onboarding Workshop (POW), such as stricter cancellation penalties that double cancellations’ impact and increase job requirements for workers disproportionately.
• Worker representatives called for structured dialog with company management to address grievances and enact provisions of the newly passed law promptly.

Indian opinion Analysis:

The women gig workers’ protest underscores growing tensions between platform-based companies like Urban Company and their workforce over critical issues such as social security and fair working conditions. While Karnataka’s new law aims to provide extensive welfare measures for gig workers, delays in implementation appear to be fueling dissatisfaction.The concerns raised-ranging from ratings systems to unreasonable penalties-point toward systemic challenges these workers face in achieving equity within gig economies. If addressed through collaborative dialogue between management and worker representatives as requested during this protest, it could set a precedent not just in Karnataka but across India for greater inclusion of labor rights within emerging digital workspaces.

Published – August 28, 2025
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