Hundreds of delivery partners working with Blinkit, a grocery and essentials delivery service owned by Zomato, have been on strike for the past three days due to changes in the company’s payout structure. This has significantly impacted operations, with the service being temporarily unavailable in most parts of Delhi-NCR.
Blinkit delivers groceries, dairy products, fruit and vegetables, personal care items, and beverages, among other things, on a per-order basis, with added incentives for more deliveries. Delivery partners have claimed that their earnings will now be reduced by half as a result of the payout structure change.
According to Anand Kumar, a delivery person from Gurgaon who has been on strike since Tuesday, he was earning around Rs 30,000 per month, but this amount will be cut to Rs 15,000 per month after the payout change. To become a delivery partner with Blinkit, one must own a two-wheeler and an Android phone with an internet connection, as per their website’s “Frequently Asked Questions” section.
Many delivery partners are struggling to manage their daily expenses due to the sudden pay cut, with one delivery person stating that he has to manage his household, pay for petrol, and educate his three children with the meager amount of Rs 15,000-18,000 per month. The delivery person expressed the view that while the strike is affecting them, they have no choice but to fight for their lives and those of their families, who depend on them.
