Despite the vociferous demand raised by gig workers, employment in this sector is grossly unregulated. As a result, more than 7.7 million gig workers in the country are being virtually forced to work as bonded labourers in the absence of specific service rules, responsible for maintaining balance in employer-employee relationship. While the gig economy or the app-based delivery model was seen by many as a boon to the economy in the initial stages around 2007, it has now become a severe headache for both the workers and the customers. This is primarily due to the absence of service rules like fixed working hours, job security, employment conditions, benefits and a uniform pay policy. Some legal experts have further pointed out that a formal relationship between the employer and the employees cannot be established within the current legal system as the gig workers do not directly work under the original product suppliers. In contrast, the United Kingdom in 2021 has passed an order that Uber is the employer and drivers are the employees. It is really difficult to understand why this same criterion should not be made applicable in India too, as according to NITI Aayog, the numbers of gig workers in the country will be around 23.5 million by 2029-30.
In the age of automation, the gig economy has become very crucial as the job market has become unkind to unskilled labourers, especially in the developing countries. Thus for the unskilled ones, the aap-based delivery model came as a big relief. For record, the gig economy has come very handy for the youths of Kashmir, majority of whom have remained unskilled due to the prolonged unrest in the state. According to a rough estimate, over sixty per cent of the unemployed youths in the state work as gig workers after the tourist season is over. Same is the case in major metros where many youths work as gig workers apart from their regular professions to earn some extra bucks. But they are now getting frustrated as they do not get a single benefit, unlike employees in other sectors. Although states like Karnataka and Rajasthan have introduced laws to regulate the gig workers, a lot more is required to be done. In this context, a central law could be more effective than the state laws. While the app-based delivery system helps companies to deliver their products at the doorsteps of the customers even in the remotest corner of the country, it’s a pity that they are not sharing the profit or goodwill with those who are working tirelessly to make their brands popular. In this regard, an income-sharing policy may provide the much-needed encouragement to the gig workers, who are virtually being exploited in the absence of protective service rules. The situation is tailor-made for the government to step in as the pledge of the nation is to end any sort of discrimination in the country.
