‘Historic step’: Rahul Gandhi hails Karnataka’s nod to ordinance for gig workers’ welfare

“These workers bring us food, deliver essentials, and drive us safely — in the heat, cold, and rain. Yet too often, they are blocked from their apps without explanation, denied sick leave, and paid according to opaque algorithms. We are changing that,” he added.

“रेटिंग नहीं, हक़ चाहिए”
“इंसान हैं हम, ग़ुलाम नहीं”

भारत जोड़ो यात्रा के दौरान जब मैं गिग वर्कर्स से मिला, तो ये शब्द मेरे दिल में उतर गए।

कर्नाटक की कांग्रेस सरकार ने एक ऐतिहासिक कदम उठाया है — एक ऐसा अध्यादेश लाया है जो गिग वर्कर्स को अधिकार, सुरक्षा और सम्मान देता है।

ये… pic.twitter.com/2IVQUXSqZo

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 29, 2025

The ordinance also proposes the establishment of a welfare board and creation of a dedicated welfare fund for the gig workers, which will funded partly from the 5 per cent cess collected from the companies.

Gandhi also recalled his interaction with gig workers during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Sharing their sentiments, he added, “Rating nahi, haq chaahiye, Insaan hai hum, ghulaam nahi.”

“These powerful words from gig workers stayed with me during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”

Assuring security to the workers in the state, Gandhi said the new ordinance ensures all measures required for the welfare of the workers:

✅ Social security
✅ Fair contracts
✅ Transparency in algorithmic pay
✅ An end to arbitrary blocking

He also lauded a similar move by Rajasthan, adding that Telangana will soon follow in its footsteps. “This is how technology should serve people — driving innovation and justice. Rajasthan showed the way. Karnataka has acted. Telangana is next.”

The opposition leader said that platforms are creating opportunities for gig workers and reshaping work relationships. Hence, workers’ rights should be at the center of this new arrangement.

“This is our vision — and we will take it to every state, and to the nation,” Gandhi reiterated as he concluded his post.

What is the Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025

The Karnataka Platform Based Gig Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Ordinance, 2025 includes workers employed by 12 major companies, including Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, Uber, and Dunzo to provide social security such as health insurance, education support, and other protections, typically unavailable to workers in the unorganised sector.

The ordinance also mandates platforms to pay a gig workers’ welfare fee, set at 1 per cent to 5 per cent of the payout per transaction, which will be used to support social security benefits such as income security during unemployment, sickness, maternity, or work-related injuries.

The decision to establish the board was taken last month during a high-level meeting with Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, Labour Minister Santosh Lad. The meeting focused on implementing the Gig Workers’ Welfare Act—a key promise from the Congress party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and election campaign.