Ola, Uber score zero in working conditions for gig workers: Fairwork India Ratings 2024

Ride-hailing platforms Ola and Uber and logistics startup Porter have been ranked at the bottom with a score of zero points for working conditions in the Fairwork India Ratings 2024.

The report, which assesses labour standards within India’s gig economy, has highlighted significant gaps in worker protection on these platforms.

The Fairwork India team, in collaboration with the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) and Oxford University, evaluated 11 digital platforms, including Amazon Flex, Flipkart, Ola, Porter, Swiggy, Uber, BigBasket, BluSmart, Urban Company, Zepto and Zomato.

Evaluation based on five principles

The Fairwork India Ratings use five key principles to assess the working conditions of gig workers. These principles include Fair Pay, Fair Conditions, Fair Contracts, Fair Management, and Fair Representation.

Each platform could score a maximum of two points for each principle, with a total of 10 points possible. However, none of the platforms managed to score more than six points, and several prominent companies, including Ola, Uber, and Porter, scored zero.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Ola has received the lowest possible score.

Top performers in the rankings

While Ola, Uber, and Porter performed poorly, Tata Digital-owned BigBasket emerged as the top scorer, along with IPO-bound Swiggy, Deepinder Goyal-led Zomato, and Urban Company, each earning six points. These companies were recognized for making progress in areas such as fair pay and fair conditions. 

Notably, the report highlighted that only BigBasket and Urban Company earned the first point under Fair Pay for implementing a minimum wage policy, ensuring that all workers earn at least the local minimum wage after work-related costs.

The report pointed out that none of the evaluated platforms could earn the second point under Fair Pay, which would require them to ensure a living wage that goes beyond the local minimum wage, providing workers with a decent standard of living.

Challenges faced by Ola, Uber, and Porter

Ola, Uber, and Porter have consistently failed to meet the minimum requirements for fair labor practices, according to the report. The platforms lack policies that ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, or mechanisms for worker representation. The absence of a minimum wage policy, along with inadequate protections against work-related risks, were key factors that contributed to their zero scores.

Uber, which scored one point in the 2023 ratings, has now dropped to zero, placing it on par with Ola and Porter.

The Fairwork India Ratings 2024 also noted that none of these platforms have sufficient structures in place to allow for collective worker representation or negotiation with an independent body. This leaves gig workers unable to voice their concerns or seek redress through formal channels.