‘Gig Workers Will Be Decision Makers in Upcoming Elections’: Union Leader

Labour union leader Shaik Salauddin on Congress' promise of welfare boards for gig workers in Karnataka, Rajasthan

In November 2022, Shaik Salauddin -- a gig-worker turned labour union leader -- met Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and spoke to him about the rights of gig workers.

In the months that followed, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, announced that the state government would bring in the Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023. 

And on Tuesday, 2 May, the Congress in Karnataka followed suit. Days before the state goes to polls, the Congress released its manifesto which stated that it would set up a gig workers' welfare board, and that the seed fund for the board is Rs 3,000 crore. The party also mentioned minimum wage for gig workers.

The Quint spoke to Salauddin, founder state president of Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union and national general secretary, Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), about the importance of the welfare boards for gig workers and how gig workers will be a crucial vote bank in upcoming elections.

Can you tell us about your conversation with Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra?

Last year, when Bharat Jodo Yatra was going through Hyderabad and Telangana, I met Rahul Gandhi and he was very interested in the cause of the gig workers. He spoke to me for 19 minutes and tried to understand my points. Not just that, he said ‘Shaik bhai, I want to speak to a driver and a delivery executive.' I arranged a meeting with them. He heard their issues directly and he said that wherever Congress is in power or might come to power, they will take into consideration the rights of gig workers.

I believe this first reflected in Rajasthan where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that a welfare board will be set up.

The CM tried to understand our problems too. There were meetings till midnight at the CM office.

And now in recent news, the Congree in Karnataka said that Rs 3,000 crore will be set aside for welfare of gig workers.

What were some of the key points you discussed with the two Congress leaders pertaining to gig workers?

We spoke about the existing social security benefits for workers, and whether there is a law. If there is no law governing gig workers, then why not? Both Gehlot and Gandhi wanted to know more through the delivery executives and the drivers themselves.

By arranging such meetings directly with the gig workers, we tried to show them the truth.

When Rahul Gandhi met two drivers and two delivery executives during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, he asked them what their educational qualifications are. They told him that they had degrees such as B.Tech and M.Tech, after which he asked them why they took up this job. They told him that it was because of unemployment. I also spoke to him about how there is no law for gig workers and he said that we will keep us in mind.

What are some issues that you hope will be addressed once the gig workers' welfare boards are set up?

Pan-India, we have three demands that we hope will be met. First that a law be enforced for gig and platform workers and that gig workers should get benefits of social security such as life and disability cover, accident insurance, health and maternity benefits.

Secondly, there is a tripartite board comprising the government, unions and companies.

And lastly, we demand that there is a levy on every transaction. This would be a percentage of the total amount of the transaction value. This amount will go towards the welfare board.

The Rajasthan government has mentioned a cess in their draft bill. Meanwhile, Congress’ Karnataka election manifesto mentions a minimum wage. What do you think about these measures?

I would not want to interfere in the government’s strategy but it seems that the party wants gig workers to be a part of the manifesto and are taking into consideration what the union is saying, then clearly, they have put some thought into this.

Of course, if the government has mentioned a minimum wage, we certainly welcome it. If minimum wage is implemented for gig workers, they will have a minimum daily, weekly, and monthly wage which is a good thing for the workers.

The government is finally acknowledging that a huge part of the youth is employed in gig work. Do you think it's this realisation that is leading to them being a part of a party's manifesto?

Yes, political parties that are thinking about the welfare and rights of gig workers are moving ahead while those who aren't doing so are running behind. It is important to note that gig and platform workers are, and should be, decision-makers for upcoming elections.

Politicians should acknowledge that when you work for our rights, there will be chances that your party will be brought to power. The government should keep this in mind whenever there are elections.

According to NITI-Aayog report, there were 77 lakh gig workers in 2020-21 and these figures, as per the report, are expected to go up to 2.35 crore by 2029-30. The politics of tomorrow will be determined by gig workers.

While the promises look good on paper, what expectations do you have regarding implementation?

We are expecting the governments to implement what they have promised. Live up to the promises that you have made and the statements you have made in public, and try to carve out a new route for gig workers. I am thankful to them but they should try to uphold these promises even after the elections, irrespective of the results of the elections.

Tell us a bit about your journey. How did you reach here and what lead you to start unionising while you were working for cab aggregators such Ola and Uber?

I worked with Ola and Uber for almost a decade. Back then, Ola and Uber had just started in Hyderabad. They would put up hoardings saying that drivers will earn Rs 80,000 or Rs one lakh a month.

With time, we realised that the companies were not living up to their promises. And that is why we started a union. In Telangana, we started the Telangana State Taxi and Driver Joint Action Committee which comprised 20 different organisations.

Then, I started thinking pan-India and started the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT), which is now working actively in 12 cities. We are not stopping at drivers but also including delivery executives and Urban Company workers, under IFAT.

We aim to include all app-based workers under one umbrella organisation. Because, if you look at the recent protests, such as the Blinkit protests, you can see how gig workers ID's are blocked and police is called if you join a union or participate in a protest.We are working to strengthen the workers. We are constantly fighting for our rights.