Hyderabad: The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) and the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) held a two-day consultation on February 24 to 25 to discuss the state government’s draft bill for the registration and welfare of platform workers.
Over 200 gig workers, along with trade union representatives and civil society members, participated in deliberations on the bill’s provisions.
On the first day, legal experts from Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and IFAT explained key aspects of the bill, including mandatory registration for workers and aggregators, the establishment of a welfare board and fund, a per-transaction cess, unique worker IDs, and a grievance redressal system.
However, workers raised concerns about issues beyond registration and welfare, pushing for significant amendments.
Following the meetings, TGPWU and IFAT rejected the bill’s definition of gig workers as being outside traditional employer-employee relationships, arguing that employment status is a globally contested issue. They also called for algorithmic and data transparency, demanding that workers be informed about how tasks are assigned, earnings calculated, and IDs deactivated.
Other key demands included a human point of contact in aggregator companies for grievance redressal, fair contracts in regional languages, income security through a minimum earnings guarantee, and regulations on working hours and safety.
The unions noted that the bill must go beyond welfare measures to address the structural challenges faced by gig workers in Telangana.
Telangana draft gig workers’ policy proposes minimum wages, insurance
The draft Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers Policy, 2024, proposes key protections for app-based gig and platform workers, including minimum wages, ₹5 lakh accidental insurance, and mandatory health coverage.
Accessed by The Indian Express, the draft policy also recommends a welfare fund managed by a board, with aggregator companies required to contribute. Other proposed benefits include a contributory old-age pension, wage compensation scheme, scholarships for workers’ children, and maternity benefits.
Additionally, the policy mandates the registration of workers with the government through an app. The policy will reportedly be valid for three years, after which a review will assess its scale and impact.
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