What Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal Says On Gig Workers' Strike - 'If System Were Fundamentally Unfair, It Would Not...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Zomato chief executive Deepinder Goyal has said that Zomato and Blinkit recorded their highest-ever single-day order volumes on New Year's Eve, adding that operations were largely unaffected despite calls for a nationwide strike by gig workers.

His comments came a day after delivery workers linked to platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy and Amazon held protests across several cities, demanding better pay, safer working conditions and social security benefits.

In a post on X, Goyal said Zomato and its quick-commerce unit Blinkit“delivered at a record pace” on December 31. He said assistance from local police“helped keep the small number of miscreants in check”, allowing more than 4.5 lakh delivery partners across both platforms to fulfil over 75 lakh orders for more than 63 lakh customers in a single day.

“This happened without any additional incentives for delivery partners - NYE does see higher incentives than usual days and yesterday was no different than the past NYE days,” he wrote.

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Goyal also expressed gratitude to local authorities and ground teams for“clear enforcement and swift coordination”. He praised delivery partners who, according to him,“showed up despite intimidation, stood their ground, and chose honest work and progress.”

He ended his post with what he described as a“thought for everyone”, saying,“If a system were fundamentally unfair, it would not consistently attract and retain so many people who choose to work within it. Please don't get swept up by narratives pushed by vested interests.”

Referring to the gig economy as one of India's“largest organised job creation engines”, Goyal said its broader impact would become clear over time, when the children of delivery workers, supported by steady incomes and education, enter the workforce and contribute to the country's transformation.

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Goyal's remarks followed protests organised a day earlier by the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) in several cities, where workers demanded higher payments, social security cover and improved safety measures.

Gig workers' strike

The Gig and Platform Service Workers Union announced a nationwide strike on 31 December, to collectively press for demands related to the rights, welfare and dignity of gig and platform workers across India.

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While issuing a call to action, it stated, "All gig workers, platform workers, digital platform workers, app-based workers, and online freelancers are earnestly requested to participate in the national strike by shutting down all work-related applications and abstaining from providing services on 31 December 2025, thereby making the strike united and effective."

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