Survey Finds Ola, Uber And Porter To Be The Worst Platforms For Gig Workers

According to a report by research firm Fairwork India, BigBasket has taken the top ranking, while the largest ride-hailing services, Uber and Ola, as well as logistics startup Porter, have been ranked as the least advantageous platforms for gig workers.

Twelve platforms offering location-based services across a range of industries, such as home and personal care, logistics, food delivery, and transportation in India, were evaluated for the 'Fairwork India 2023' research.

The Fairwork India team carried out its review under the joint direction of the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford and the Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP) at the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIITB).

The evaluation was predicated on data that conformed to the five core Fairwork principles: fair management, fair conditions, fair contracts, fair pay, and fair representation. Desk research, employee interviews conducted in Bengaluru, Delhi, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram, as well as supporting documentation from the platforms themselves, were all included in their study.

According to the analysis, Ola and Porter both scored a pitiful zero on a scale of one to ten for adhering to the minimal requirements of fair labour in the platform-based economy.

Conversely, BigBasket, BluSmart, Zomato, Urban Company, and Swiggy were among the top performers recognised in the Fairwork India Report 2023, with BigBasket receiving the highest overall score of 6 out of 10 points.

In accordance with the 'Fair Conditions' premise, BigBasket, Swiggy, Urban Company, Zepto, and Zomato were awarded 1 extra point. Their provision of sufficient safety equipment and frequent safety training to employees, underscoring their dedication to guaranteeing safe working conditions, served as the foundation for this accolade.

No platform was able to achieve a score greater than six out of ten possible points in the examination conducted this year. The taxi aggregator Uber and the financially troubled quick-commerce company Dunzo scored one out of ten, placing them among the lowest-ranked platforms for gig workers out of the twelve organisations that were examined.