Telangana gig workers’ union launches campaign to boycott airport trips

Passengers wait in queue at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU), led by its founder president Shaik Salauddin, has declared a campaign to boycott trips to Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) facilitated by ride-hailing giants — Ola, Uber, and Rapido. The move is a direct response to what the union describes as persistently low fares imposed by these aggregator companies, which have taken a heavy toll on the livelihoods of cab drivers across the region.

Mr. Shaik Salauddin highlighted that despite repeated appeals to the government and the Transport department for uniform and equitable pricing in the aggregator industry, no concrete steps have been taken. “The low fares set by these companies not only undermine drivers’ earnings but also devalue their time and effort. We are left with no choice but to take this stand,” he said.

As part of the campaign, the union has outlined key objectives: a boycott of airport trips until fares are revised to reflect fair and sustainable levels, efforts to educate passengers about the struggles faced by gig workers, and a push for regulatory measures to standardise aggregator pricing. 

TGPWU is calling for immediate government intervention to establish a standardised fare structure that ensures fair compensation and sustainable livelihoods for gig and platform workers.