Delivery partners of Swiggy and its grocery service Instamart in Thrissur organised a token strike on Saturday, demanding petrol incentives and a minimum allowance of Rs 10 per kilometer. Around 350 workers participated in the protest.

Nanditha, an Instamart delivery worker, pointed out that despite working over 12 hours daily, their earnings remain limited to Rs 400 to Rs 500. She criticised the company's policies, including wage cuts for minor infractions and the lack of support during vehicle breakdowns. While the delivery allowance was initially Rs 15 per kilometre, it has now been reduced to Rs 5, prompting workers to demand a fair revision to Rs 10.

Sujith, another delivery partner, explained that the current compensation system is outdated, reflecting fuel prices from when petrol costs Rs 65 per litre. He emphasised that repeated pleas to the company have been ignored, leaving workers no choice but to protest.

Participants accused the company of retaliatory actions, such as deactivating the IDs of those raising concerns. Although the strike was initially planned as indefinite, intervention by the CITU led workers to scale it down after assurances of a resolution within two days.

The strike disrupted services at major Swiggy hubs in Thrissur, including Puzhakkal, Mannuthy, Poothole, and Mulankunnathukavu, as well as Instamart hubs in Poothole and Kuriachira.