Workers of the Urban Company, an app-based service delivery platform, held a meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday to discuss their grievances and plan nationwide protests against the company.
The meeting was attended by predominantly female workers from the beautician and salon services vertical. They provide services like massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, waxing, and hair care.
The main issue raised by the workers is the blocking of their IDs, which prevents them from receiving leads and new customers, effectively terminating their employment. The workers allege that the company’s rating system is unfair and that it has led to their IDs being blocked.
The workers also say that they earn very little money from the company, and that they are often required to purchase credits in order to receive new leads. They allege that the company charges inflated prices for beauty products, further reducing their earnings.
Additionally, the workers face strict rules regarding ratings, response rates, and job completion targets, which affects their ability to maintain their IDs and continue working.
Many of the workers attending the meeting were single mothers and sole breadwinners of their families. They were attracted to gig work for its promised flexibility, but the company’s stringent rules and lack of documentation identifying them as UC workers restrict their options and access to loans.
The workers also raised concerns about customers demanding extra services without payment, while being reluctant to allow the workers to use their toilets. These issues, along with non-availability of Kannada speakers on the helpline, opaque managerial structure, low earnings, and safety measures, were discussed during the meeting.
A committee was formed to plan future actions, and a nationwide protest has been scheduled for July 12. The workers emphasise that their intention is not to shut down the company but to dismantle the rating system that negatively impacts their mental health, particularly affecting workers from marginalised sections of society.
The company has operations in 63 locations, including 54 cities in India. The company spokesperson stated that they are focused on quality and customer experience, but the workers’ demands have not been accepted so far.
