Uber, Ola, Rapido drivers call nationwide strike on February 7
What's the story
A coalition of unions representing gig workers for ride-hailing services such as Uber, Ola, and Rapido has announced a nationwide strike on Saturday. The protest, dubbed 'All India Breakdown,' will see app-based transport workers across India going offline for six hours. The move is aimed at demanding government intervention to enforce minimum fares in the sector.
Protest objectives
Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union leading the strike
The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, which is spearheading the strike, has accused ride-hailing platforms of arbitrarily setting fares. The union's social media post read, "Despite Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, platforms continue to fix fares arbitrarily." They have demanded that minimum base fares be notified and the misuse of private vehicles for commercial rides be stopped.
Recent unrest
Previous protest against low pay, poor working conditions
The upcoming strike comes a little over a month after food delivery and quick commerce riders protested against low pay and poor working conditions on December 31. The Economic Survey for 2025-26 had also highlighted income volatility as a major concern in India's booming gig economy, with nearly 40% of gig workers earning less than ₹15,000 per month.
Sector expansion
Gig workers in India
The number of gig workers in India has surged 55% to 1.2 crore in FY25 from 77 lakh in FY21, according to the Economic Survey. This growth is attributed to increased smartphone penetration and digital payment adoption. The sector now contributes over 2% of India's total workforce and is expanding faster than overall employment rates.