Ola Uber Rapido Driver Strike: Driver unions that represent cab, bike, and auto service app drivers like Ola, Uber, and Rapido have declared a strike for Saturday, February 7th. The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union will lead this movement. On Wednesday, they revealed that app-based transport workers nationwide will participate in an “All India Breakdown,” going offline for six hours to urge the government to address the minimum fare notification.
This protest follows last month’s demonstrations by food delivery and quick commerce workers. Previously, on December 31st, gig workers from platforms such as Zomato, Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart, and Swiggy protested against low wages and poor working conditions, announcing a strike for New Year’s Day. Now, let’s dive into the reasons behind the strike by Ola, Uber, and Rapido drivers.
What are the demands?
This strike is shining a light on the challenges drivers are facing. The union shared on social media that even with the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2025 in place, platforms are still setting fares arbitrarily. Their demands are straightforward: they want a notification for a minimum base fare and an end to the misuse of private vehicles for commercial rides. This strike will impact cab, auto, and bike taxi drivers. They argue that platforms are cutting into their earnings by lowering fares. After accounting for fuel, maintenance, and other costs, there’s hardly anything left.
The union is calling on both the central and state governments to establish a minimum base fare and finalize it after discussions with the unions. They also want to stop private vehicles from being used for commercial purposes or to have them converted to commercial vehicles. As the gig economy grows, ensuring worker safety and fair pay is essential. If drivers stay offline on February 7th, it will disrupt rides and passengers might encounter challenges.
The recent Economic Survey 2025-26 addressed the gig economy. The survey states that India’s gig economy is growing rapidly, but incomes are highly volatile. The number of gig workers is projected to increase by 55 percent to 12 million in fiscal year 2025, up from 7.7 million in fiscal year 2021.
This growth is driven by the increasing use of smartphones and digital payments. The sector now accounts for more than 2 percent of India’s workforce and is growing faster than total employment. The survey states that approximately 40 percent of gig workers earn less than Rs 15,000 per month, highlighting the significant problem of income volatility.
Sweta Mitra
Working in the media for last 7 years. The journey started in the year 2018. For the past few years, my working experience has been in Bengali media. Currently working at Timesbull.com. Here I write like Business, National, and Utility News. My favorite hobbies are listening to music, traveling, food,...
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