Urban Company women workers protest ‘discriminatory’ practices

Hyderabad: Amid a growing wave of gig workers speaking out against alleged unfair employment practices by various platforms, a large group of women partners on Monday gathered at the Madhapur office of Urban Company to raise the issue, including permanent blocking of IDs, wage theft, illegal terminations and discriminatory labour practices by the organisation.

The women have been facing several issues. They are not comfortable with the ‘Auto Assign’ programme, as no woman is ready to work under such a programme. They say, if they are not part of ‘Auto Assign’ they are not receiving any work. The protestors say the product score should be removed or at least provide a photo option. In the market they have the same product for a very reasonable price so that they can make a bit of profit.

Chandrika, a protestor, said “even if a customer cancels an appointment, we are affected. If repeated, there is likely chance of blocking our accounts. And also if a customer does not attend the call, the company is asking us to cancel the order after reaching the location. With this we the partners are severely affected.”

The protestors said, “the partners who are blocked for unnecessary reasons should be unblocked.

With the customers getting refunds with their false statement our rating are getting affected.”

Sheema Parveen, another protestor said, “Urban Company promises high salaries at the time of joining,. but they have been cheating us and cutting our wages without informing us or giving a proper explanation. We are forced to pay Rs 50,000 to secure our jobs and to start working with them.”

The protestors outlined the issues they are facing, including wage theft including joining fee, retraining fee, credits, cancellation charges, non-payment of rewards, algorithmic injustice and illegal terminations, forced to pay Rs 50,000 to rejoin, rating cut-offs, tampering with ratings, malicious ratings, partner ratings, control over working hours and locations, safety, harassment and dignity. Sheema said “as working women, we should be treated with safety, dignity and respect. We routinely encounter violence, harassment, and discrimination from both the company and the customers who we service. face customer harassment and violence. harassment by managers, discrimination on basis of weight, age and helpline failure. These are unfair labour practices we are facing at work,” she pointed out.

Shaik Salauddin, founder State president, Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU) appealed to the company to treat them as employees/workers and consult them on major decisions that affect their employment and work experience, facilitate algorithmic accountability, and compensate them for wage theft. The union demands fundamental rights of women workers to be protected as enshrined in the Constitution and labour laws and address their issues at earliest.