Urban Company sues women workers who protested demanding fair pay

While the inclination of the employers towards a gig workforce is gaining pace, Urban Company, which highly relies on the gig workers and addresses them as ‘Partners’, has sued female workers who showed protest against a policy which was introduced recently. 

The new policy that fueled the protest stated that the partners would be required to make a minimum amount of payment and take on a minimum number of jobs each month with a discount scheme for customers. This, according to the protesting women workers, would have a direct and hammering effect on their earnings reducing their flexibility of work. 

Protesting against this, dozens of women gathered outside Urban Company’s office in Gurugram, holding banners and shouting slogans against the proposed new rules. On Wednesday, due to the weather conditions and no sanitation facility available nearby, the women had to vacate the area after two days. 

While the demand for the gig workforce across the globe is on the rise, the workers have created sensation globally by raising voices demanding social security and other benefits. However certain issues such as working for multiple gig platforms, registration of the workers under a common umbrella to assure these benefits are looked at as a challenge by many employers.