Delivery Workers Protest Unfair Dismissal at Swiggy Instamart Hub in Kollam

Kollam: Workers employed as delivery agents at the online grocery unit of Swiggy Instamart in Kollam have staged a protest against unfair dismissal. The demonstration, held in front of the hub at Pallimukku, was organised by the Kerala State Gig & Platform Workers Union under the banner of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

According to the union, a delivery worker at the Kollam hub found his app‑login blocked without justification, effectively rendering him unable to continue his assignments, and was thereby “terminated” by the platform. In response, the workers organised the protest and union leaders such as J. Anandan (district joint secretary) inaugurated the protest, and unit president Sajeeb M. Haneefa chaired the proceedings. Also present were union activists J. Shaji, Arun, Sudheer and Afsal, who addressed the gathering and demanded that the wrongful decision be revoked immediately. The union issued a warning that failure to restore the worker could lead to further escalation of industrial action.

While the picket was not to disrupt delivery services this time, it highlighted deeper issues faced by gig‑economy delivery workers in Kerala and across India. Workers argue that arbitrary deactivation of accounts or blocking of log‑ins is a recurring complaint, leaving them with little recourse, even as pay‑structures are increasingly opaque. For instance, a national survey noted that gig workers for food‑ and grocery‑delivery platforms often work long hours under algorithmic management, yet lack minimum‑wage protections, transparent incentives and the rights to be treated as “workers” under labour law. 

In recent months, similar protests have been held in Kerala—delivery partners for Swiggy Instamart in Thrissur demanded fuel allowances and kilometer‑based pay corrections, while in Thiruvananthapuram, workers called off a strike only after a promise of government‑led talks. 

The Kollam protest comes at a time when gig‑platform workers are increasingly organising under trade unions and demanding recognition of their employment status, minimum guarantees, undoing of unilateral deactivations and better grievance‑redressal mechanisms. The union in Kollam emphasises that unless the accused decision is reversed quickly, they are prepared to move to other protest programmes.

Swiggy Instamart has not yet issued a public comment specific to the Kollam protest.