Hyderabad: The Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) has urged Union Minister of Labour Mansukh Mandaviya to ensure workers’ union representatives in the inter-ministerial working group to conduct policy making exercises over the social security and welfare of the country’s gig and platform workers.
In a statement IFAT expressed that it is disheartened over their representation being overlooked in the working group tasked for preparing policy for the social security of gig-workers in India.
IFAT, in its statement said that the organisation’s participation has been pivotal in the formation of policies and legislation regarding gig-economy and its workers in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Jharkhand, and Haryana.
Referring to the report on the issues faced by gig workers in India titled ‘Prisoners on Wheels’, written by professor Biju Mathew of University of Pennsylvania, IFAT highlighted their involvement in conducting the biggest ever evidence-based survey of platform workers. The study involved more than 10,000 individuals working as platform based drivers and delivery riders across eight states in the country.
The study highlights the socio-economic challenges faced by the workers, who mostly have work for more than 12 hours a day, and still struggle to make around Rs 500 after all the deductions and platform commissions. IFAT demanded their inclusion to the policy making group to ensure the workers’ concerns are addressed and their rights are ensured.
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