Centre Forward: On Government Intervention In Gig Workers Row
The Union Labour Ministry’s recent intervention, asking quick-commerce platforms to step back from their promise of 10-minute deliveries, arrives at a telling moment. Only days ago, gig workers were on the streets, raising concerns about wages, safety and the everyday strain of platform work. Put together, the two developments point to the same question: how fast is too fast?
Ten-minute delivery was once sold as convenience. It sounded efficient, modern, almost impressive. Over time, it became routine. But behind that routine sits a delivery rider navigating traffic, weather and fatigue with a timer running in the background. The pressure is not visible at checkout, but it is built into the system.
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The ministry’s move reflects an understanding that speed is not neutral. It shapes behaviour. When deadlines are tight, caution becomes optional. When ratings decide income, risk becomes part of the job. The rider’s body absorbs the cost of every extra minute saved.
This comes at a time when gig workers are already questioning how platforms define work. Pay structures remain unclear. Incentives change without notice. Insurance is patchy. And job security does not exist. In that landscape, a ten-minute promise is not just a service feature. It is a demand placed on someone else’s time and safety.
Platforms argue that customers want faster service. That is partly true. But customer desire should not be the only logic guiding how work is designed. Convenience does not have to mean urgency. Efficiency does not have to mean pressure.
The Labour Ministry has not banned technology. It has asked for restraint. That distinction matters. Progress is not measured only in how quickly something arrives, but in how sustainably it is delivered.
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