Hyderabad: Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) is going to extend its support and solidarity to the National Protest Day called by All India Co-ordination Committee of Road Transport Workers Organizations on August 5.
Over 25 lakh app-based transport and delivery workers have been instrumental in the process of reopening after months of lockdown. But due to the lockdown and loss of livelihood, their own lives have suffered miseries, deprivation and mounting debt. And while the government deemed the app-based transport workers as essential workforces during the pandemic, it did not provide them relief or social protection stated IFAT.
“The app-based companies such as Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato and Dunzo also remained mostly apathetic and indifferent to the sufferings of these workers. Today, it has become quite impossible for the app-based transport and delivery workers to continue working and earn a decent livelihood for survival,” said Shaik Salauddin National General Secretary of IFAT.
In order to draw the attention of the government to the miseries and crises being faced by app-based workers, IFAT affiliates will join the nationwide August 5 Protest Day with other transport workers.
IFAT asking the government to:
• Withdraw enhanced excise duty on diesel/petrol and roll back the revised prices by the oil companies since June 7.
• Provide Social Security coverage and instruct companies to provide health insurance for the App-based Transport and Delivery Workers
• Implement the National City Taxi Scheme in all states.
• Instruct companies like Ola and Uber to bring down their commission rates to 5 per cent.
• Provide minimum wages (starting at Rs. 7500 per month) for delivery riders/workers working for Swiggy, Zomato, Dunzo, etc. as per the state labour laws.
• Waiver of Road Tax, Vehicle Tax, Border Tax, Toll, Permits etc. for the year 2020.
• Waiver of additional interest on loan moratorium and extension on the loan repayment for next 12 months.
IFAT Unions which are expected to participate in the protest include Sarvodaya Driver Association of Delhi, Chalak Shakti Sangh, Expert Drivers Solution (Delhi NCR), Rajasthan Vahan Chalak Sangh, Indian Delivery Lions Organisation (Jaipur), Namma Chalakara Trade Union (Bengaluru), Maharashtra Rajya Rashtriya Kamgar Sangh (Mumbai), Independent Taxi Drivers and Owners Association (Chennai), Telangana Four Wheelers Drivers Association (Hyderabad), Indian AC Cabs Trade Union (Lucknow), and Telangana State Taxi and Drivers Joint Action Committee (Telangana).