India’s women gig workers fight for a better future

A year after women staged mass protests against the job conditions at India’s popular home services app, Urban Company, female gig workers face a tough present and a highly uncertain future.

A decade ago, Urban Company emerged as a beacon of hope for women wanting to gain economic independence in a country with one of the lowest numbers of female workers in the world — on their own terms and in their own time.

But as the years have passed, workers say the company has stripped away their flexibility and autonomy.

Urban Company workers told Rest of World they had to pay the equivalent of two months’ salary just to begin working on the app.

Many say the pressure to perform for an ever more demanding algorithm is unsustainable. If clients rate them poorly and their score drops, they risk being blocked from the app — either temporarily or permanently if their performance does not improve.

When we reached out, Urban Company said it invests significant funds into onboarding each worker and helps workers keep their ratings up by offering feedback and retraining.

It also said workers continue to enjoy flexibility because they receive work based on when they mark their availability on the app. Women can take leave and are offered three “emergency passes” in case they have to miss a booking.

The company is working to reduce the number of workers who have to leave the app, a spokesperson said. [ Read Urban Company’s full response here ]

Missed work means no money, which can deal a huge blow to many of the workers who are single mothers or sole family breadwinners. With little to no government oversight, the women have limited legal recourse. Many must rely on each other to survive.

Be it venting anger or sharing supportive messages on social media, staging protests or rallying union help, the women have found new avenues to fight back.

In June, dozens of women workers protested outside Urban Company’s office in the southern city of Bengaluru over divisive policies, including the rating system.

Urban Company said that it does not retaliate against workers who peacefully voice concerns but may take legal action in cases of vandalism or physical contact with employees.

Workers say the company is tantamount to a monopoly in India, which means that without a game-changing strike or government regulation, women will continue to feel trapped by the app. ▰

Rest of World is an international nonprofit journalism organization. We document what happens when technology, culture and the human experience collide, in places that are typically overlooked and underestimated.