The Kerala government had informed the Assembly in June that it is working on legislation to address the issues faced by gig workers.
Published Aug 06, 2024 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 06, 2024 | 7:00 AM
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Kerala, on Monday, 5 August formed a 26-member technical committee with the Labour Commissioner as its chairperson and Additional Labour Commissioner as convenor to study the problems faced by applications based or online food delivery workers and formulate general guidelines regarding wage provisions for the workers in the state.
The move is part of Kerala’s plan to come up with “comprehensive legislation for gig and platform-based workers in the state.”
According to the Labour Department, while the online food delivery system has several upsides concerning growth and livelihood opportunities, some serious concerns need to be addressed like lack of job security, inconsistent income, lack of benefits, isolation, and inadequate pay among others.
The committee includes members who are employed in Zomato and Swiggy, including Zomato CEO.
The Kerala government had informed in June the Assembly that it is working on legislation to address the issues faced by gig workers. An announcement in this regard was made during the discussion on the ‘Kerala Gig, Platform Workers’ Welfare Fund Bill, 2024, a private members’ Bill introduced by MLA Dr N Jayaraj.
Introducing the bill, Jayaraj had highlighted that the gig sector employs thousands of young individuals who encounter several labour rights issues. He emphasised the urgent need for legal protections and proposed the establishment of a welfare fund board to support these workers.
At the same time, Labour Minister V Sivankutty had informed the Assembly that that most gig workers in the state are under 40 years of age, with many being well-educated. However, he added that, despite their qualifications, these workers face significant labour rights violations.
He acknowledged that the Labour Commissionerate has already dealt with several cases involving the violation of labour rights within this sector, indicating the persistence of these issues. Additionally, he said that the Labour Department is in the process of shaping a legislation, which will be a milestone in ensuring the rights and welfare of gig workers in our state.
Chapter I, Section 2(35) of the Code on Social Security, 2020 defines a gig worker as “a person who participates in a work arrangement and earns from such activities outside of a traditional employer-employee relationship.”
(Edited by Neena with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
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