The summer is well and truly here, with most cities in India witnessing unbearable heat. And in the midst of peak summer, a national federation representing app-based transport and delivery workers has called for the government to introduce enforceable heatwave protections for gig and platform workers.
The Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT) has sent a letter to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, urging the government to introduce binding heatwave protections under the Code on Social Security, 2020. This is the legislation that governs social security entitlements for gig and platform workers in India.
In the letter, the IFAT has put out a series of proposals, including paid cooling breaks during IMD Orange and Red heat alerts, protection from penalties, ID blocks or reduced incentives during heat-related pauses. The IFAT has also asked for the mandatory access to drinking water, oral rehydration salts and cooling shelters.
In addition, the body has called for in-app distress emergency support systems and public compliance dashboards, in order to hold aggregators accountable.
IFAT argued that delivery partners, ride-hailing drivers and home-service workers continue to operate amid heatwaves, with no real protections in place. This leaves them exposed to serious health risks.
The federation pointed to several international precedents to strengthen its case, noting that countries like South Korea, Singapore, France, Japan, the UAE and the US state of California have already introduced such measures for platform workers.
"Heat protection is not a privilege. It is a labour right, a public health necessity, and a matter of dignity," IFAT said in its letter.
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