Zepto workers strike in Hyderabad over payout cuts, labour rights violations

Delivery workers at quick commerce platform Zepto have gone on an indefinite strike in Hyderabad, with the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) alleging violations of labour rights and demanding the restoration of earlier payout rates, along with uniform earnings across stores.

According to TGPWU founder president Shaik Salauddin, the platform used to offer about Rs 35 per order nearly two months back, which has been slashed, with current rates ranging between Rs 10–15 per order.

“We are waiting for action to be taken. If nothing happens, the strike will be extended to other regions of the country,” Salauddin told ET.


In a letter to the Telangana labour department, the union urged the government to inspect Zepto’s dark store operations and ensure the company complies with minimum wage laws and offers legal protections to its gig workers.

The TGPWU said the strike, now in its fifth day, is ongoing across multiple Zepto dark stores in the city. The union also alleged that Zepto’s management has so far not initiated any dialogue or responded to the workers’ demands. “ Delivery partners face arbitrary fines, penalties based on opaque ratings, and sudden account suspensions—with no clear redressal mechanism or transparency,” the union added.

Email queries sent to Zepto remained unanswered at the time of publication.

Last month, industry associations including the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), the All India Mobile Retailers Association (AIMRA), and the Organised Retailers Association (ORA) raised concerns about unregulated practices in ecommerce and quick commerce.

These included predatory pricing, deep discounting, and inventory-led models by platforms claiming to be marketplaces, all of which are seen as violations of FDI norms.

The associations passed a resolution calling for:

• Stricter implementation of FDI and ecommerce policies.
• A ban on inventory-driven models by marketplace platforms.
• Formation of an independent regulatory body to oversee digital commerce.