The ongoing Co-Vid crisis is likely to exacerbate the precarity of gig workers. Most only get paid per assignment and gigging with a platform does not allow them any of the social protection measures that might come with formal employment, such as sick leave or health insurance. Now, with Co-Vid, many gig workers are without regular sources of income, nor any clarity on when work might resume. Others, continue to provide essential services during this crisis, risking their health and safety. It is critical that platforms assume certain responsibilities or obligations towards the wellbeing and protection of gig workers. With this tracker, we at Tandem Research are documenting the various social protection measures offered by platforms as well progress on implementation, in India and globally. We will be updating this regularly, as move into the next phases of this crisis. If you have any additions, recommendations, or would just like to chat, please email us at [email protected] or [email protected]. We hope this can be a collaborative effort, that will be useful for public policy and civil society, and can put pressure on platforms to extend further protections to workers. This list is prepared / maintained by Mawii Zothan & Iona Eckstein, researchers at Tandem Research. www.tandemresearch.org This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Sector Platform Platform details Promises and/or Interventions Date Source Implementation Worker Response Source
Ecommerce Amazon India Revenue 2019: Rs 139 crore (Rs 1,390 million)
Flipkart Revenue 2019: Rs. 22,883 crore Flipkart have pledged to give delivery workers leave will full-pay and benefits if they contract Covid-19. It has made temperature readings manadatory for all employees, vendors and visitors. Have also organised 3,000 awareness sessions covering 100k employees showing how to minimise exposure. 19/03/20 https://www.livemint.com/news/india/flipkart-delivery-workers-to-get-leave-with-full-pay-if-quarantined-11584609885234.html
Temporarily suspended services 30/03/20 https://www.flipkart.com/
Flipkart collaborates with Uber for last-mile delivery of essentials. "This service will enable containment of Covid-19 and also offer our driver partners opportunity to participate in earning opportunity making it a win-win for everyone" 06/04/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/flipkart-ties-up-with-uber-for-delivery-of-essentials/articleshow/75007736.cms
Flipkart has offered to double payments for temporary staff 04/04/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/bigbasket-and-grofers-to-hire-12000-staff-to-meet-demand-surge/articleshow/74977919.cms
Bigbasket Revenue 2019: Rs. 6,300 crore Bigbasket & grofers face shortage of delivery workers. Bigbasket now stating it will partner with cab aggregators and restaurant associations to help with manpower. Bigbasket needs manpower to drive trucks. 31/03/20 https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/coronavirus-lockdown-bigbasket-grofers-face-shortage-of-delivery-boys/story/399765.html
Uber partners with Bigbasket as last-mile delivery service. 02/04/20 https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/uber-partners-with-bigbasket-to-deliver-essentials-to-customers-11585838396832.html
Bigbasket wantes to hire 10,000 permanent staff to work at warehouses, distribution centres and as delivery personnel. 04/04/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/bigbasket-and-grofers-to-hire-12000-staff-to-meet-demand-surge/articleshow/74977919.cms
Grofers Revenue 2019: US$34 million, (Rs. 256.5 crore) Providing customers with temperature readings of factory workers and soon delivery workers 27/03/20 https://twitter.com/IonaEckstein/status/1243120426085240832
Call to hire more workers: "If your company has idling semi-skilled work force that can do with more income + work in a safe environment, please reach out to @Grofers- we are hiring in our warehouses to increase throughout in all cities. Requirement- Smartphone savvy. Transport provided. For India!" 29/03/20 https://twitter.com/albinder/status/1244216023416369152
Zero touch delivery, regular cleaning or warehouses, fever screening of all executives, all delivery drivers have sanitiser and masks which are replaced every 2 days 30/03/20 https://grofers.com/le/lets_fight_corona_0
Grofers has hired 2,500 additional people from affiliated industries and partner companies who have had to shut down. 31/03/20 https://www.cnbctv18.com/retail/have-hired-additional-people-to-clear-huge-order-backlog-says-grofers-5591341.htm
Grofers has been giving on-ground staff their share of essential goods at the end of the day as well as pay, providing an incentive to come to work 02/04/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/covid-19-impact-from-bigbasket-to-grofers-mounting-orders-and-staff-crunch-stretch-online-grocers/articleshow/74941071.cms
Ridesharing Uber India Revenue 2018: Rs. 533 crore Service suspended 26/03/20 https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2020/03/24/uber-and-ola-suspend-services-in-india/
Flipkart collaborates with Uber (also with Bigbasket) for last-mile delivery of essentials. "This service will enable containment of Covid-19 and also offer our diver partners opportunity to participate in earning opportunity making it a win-win for everyone" 06/04/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/flipkart-ties-up-with-uber-for-delivery-of-essentials/articleshow/75007736.cms
Uber has credited Rs. 3000 to some workers accounts. Workers do not have to pay it back. 11.04.20 Union Leader - Indian Delivery Lions No clarity on who receives this money, which workers receive the money. Will it be tied to ratings, hours of work etc
Uber requiring drivers and customers in India to wear face masks. 14/05/20 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52656090
Ola Revenue 2019: Rs. 2,543.63 crore Service suspended, offer to ease payments on OLA fleet retrospectively from March15th, health cover forthose who test +ve upto 30,000/1000 per day for 21 days after positive test results 24.03.20 https://yourstory.com/2020/03/coronavirus-drivers-health-cover-lease-ola-bhavish-aggarwal
Ola launches 'Drive the Drivers' fund, under Ola Foundation. Fund aims to support auto-rickshaw, cab, kaalipeeli and taxi drivers. Proceeds are meant to help towards welfare and upliftment of drivers and families 28/03/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/ola-launches-fund-for-the-driver-community-bhavish-aggarwal-to-forgo-1-years-salary/articleshow/74857934.cms
Ola has given 500 Ola vehicles to Covid-19 related activities in Karnataka, to be used for commuting health workers etc 30/03/20 https://twitter.com/Olacabs/status/1244546369479532544/photo/1
Offers interest free micro-credit of up to RS.3,600 to drivers for immediate expenses. This will be disbursed over three weeks using the micro-fiannce lending platform Avail Finance. This will be offered interest free to drivers operating auto rickshaws, taxis and kaali-peelis. Expected to impact over 1 lakh families. Credit will be set off against earnings on the platform during period of normalcy. 31/03/20 https://www.deccanherald.com/national/covid-19-ola-offers-interest-free-micro-credit-to-driver-partners-819764.html
Food and hyper local delivery Swiggy Revenue 2018: Rs. 422 crore Reached out to state governments offering to deliver essential goods (groceries, medicines). Also working with multiple state governments to deliver safe & hygenic meals to migrant workers & medical workers. 30/03/20 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/newsbuzz/startups-step-forward-reach-out-to-govts-offering-all-assistance/articleshow/74881026.cms
Swiggy will set up a relief fund for delivery workers and their families called: 'Swiggy Hunger Savior Covid Relief Fund' which will be used to ensure the safety and welfare of workers through food care packages. Swiggy co-founder has committed 50% of his annual salary to fund. Aim is for Rs. 10 crore fund.Delivery workers are also covered with Income-Protection Insurance, where 14 days of income is insured if tested positive. 31/03/20 https://yourstory.com/2020/03/swiggy-establishes-covid19-relief-fund-delivery-partners Swiggy delivery partners have been told should pick up groceriees and essentials worth upto INR 1000. The amount will be re-imbursed upon submission of a bill with the GST amount added While this is a welcome initiative - workers say they do not always have access to shops that provide bills with GST information. Mom and pop shops, which they have easiest access to in their neighbourhoods do provide these bills. They will have to go to big supermarkets and chain stores at the risk of breaking lockdown measures. Indian Delivery Lions
Zomato Financial cover for riders, Delivery Partner Fund set up, Feed the daily wager campaign 26.3.20 https://www.hindustantimes.com/tech/zomato-employees-take-deep-salary-cuts-amid-covid-19-lockdown/story-iSOQHPSEhKYoPi9KWlwssI.html Zomato has announced special healthcare benefits for delivery partners in addition to thir usual accident coverage and medical insurance. It includes free on call doctor consultations, OPD coverage upto INR 5000, covid hospitalisation charges upto INR 1 Lac, INR 500/per day compensation for loss of pay for COVID positive cases. This applies to all delivery partners who are delivering during the lockdown and can b