An ITF delegation representing millions of gig economy workers in India has met the Indian minister of road transport and highways to demand better regulation of the sector to improve working conditions.
The meeting with Nitin Gadkari follows two years of organised action in several cities coordinated by the ITF office in Delhi.
Twelve unions wrote to Mr Gadkari demanding a meeting and followed up with local level protests by Ola and Uber drivers calling for decent and regulated wages, and good working conditions.
Mr Gadkari assured the delegation that provisions for regulating working hours, overtime, insurance and social security will be considered and included in guidelines on the sector due to be published by the Indian government soon.
The ITF delegation was led by Mr M. Shanmugam, a member of parliament and leader of the ITF affiliated road transport union in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The memorandum submitted to the Central Road Transport Ministry by the ITF India network of Ola/Uber unions demanded that drivers be included as stakeholders. It also insisted that issues like urban pollution and congestion, driver incomes, working conditions and social protection be considered in the government's guidelines to all states for framing rules.
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