About Us

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Our History

The Telangana Gig and Platforms Workers Union (TGPWU) was founded in 2021 to represent the interests of gig workers and platform workers in Telangana, India.

The Union was formed to help workers realise the benefits granted to them in the Code on Social Security (Central) Rules, 2020, released by the Government of India in December 2020. The mission of the Union is to advocate for implementation of schemes outlined in the Code, across areas such as life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, and education (to be offered by the Central Government); and provident fund, employment injury benefit, housing, educational schemes for children, skill upgradation of workers, funeral assistance, old age homes (to be offered by the State Government).

Set up during the COVID – 19 pandemic, the Union also aims to collectivise workers to help negotiate improved terms of employment with various forms of digital platforms, and support campaigns against unjust or exploitative practices. Apart from working towards implementation of the Code of Social Security, the Union will attempt to expand protections in areas such as dispute resolution, work-place benefits, and data sharing with technology platform companies, with a long term, 10 year horizon for activities and protections.

The Union works towards the benefits of a wide variety of gig and platform workers, ranging from app-based taxi drivers or motorcycle riders for mobility platforms (Uber, Ola, Rapido), delivery agents for logistics and e-commerce platforms (Dunzo, Delhivery, Shadowfax, Amazon, Flipkart) and food delivery platforms (Zomato, Swiggy), and ‘freelance’ or ‘part-time’ workers for gig marketplace platforms (Urban Company, Housejoy).

Affiliations

TGPWU works closely with both domestic and international unions and workers’ organisations to achieve its intended goals. Domestically, its partner organisations include the Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers (IFAT) and the Telangana Four Wheeler Driver’s Association (TGFWDA). Internationally, TGPWU is part of the International Alliance of App-Based Transport Workers (IAATW).

Objectives

The detailed objectives of the Union, as stated in its Constitution are as follows:

To organize and collectivize the gig, platform and informal workers employed/self-employed in the formal and informal transport and delivery sectors and help them secure fair, just and reasonable conditions of work and life and to promote their well-being by all peaceful, legitimate and constitutional methods.
To secure and protect the rights of members and safeguard their interest by all lawful means.
To work towards formalizing the informal sector transport and delivery workers.
To improve the living and working condition of members in line with the International Labour Organization’s ‘decent work agenda’ to raise their standard of social, political and economic life.
To work towards solving issues of livelihood Security / Social Security / Occupational health and to advocate for better laws, policies and programs for the gig, platform and informal workers.
To co-operate and federate with any organization of labour having national as well as international standing, having kindred aims and objectives.
To assist any progressive organization whose objective is the betterment of the lives of the workers.
To regulate relation between the members and their employers.
To foster spirit of unity, brotherhood and self-help among members.
To work towards elimination of worst forms of labour such as child labour, bonded labour, forced labour across the formal and informal economy.
To establish and maintain funds by means of membership subscriptions, grants, aids, contributions, donations and loans.
To organize benefit funds, education and amusement schemes and other forms of social amenities for members.
To help members in case of non-employment, sickness and accident and also their families in case of death of the member.
To render legal assistance to members in respect of matters arising out of or incidental to their work.
To purchase, take on lease, exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any rights and privileges necessary or convenient for the purpose of the union and to construct, alter and maintain buildings required for the purpose of the Union and to sell, improve, manage, develop, lease, mortgage, dispose of turn into account or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property of the Union.
To establish better understanding between the members and employers in any form such as contractor, sub-contractors, state, state undertaking companies, public sector companies, vendors, aggregators, partners and any other such form.
To promote the growth of general knowledge among the members and to create and spread healthy public opinion amongst the members.
To organize the resources of the members with a view to carry out any or all of the above objects.
To promote the right to universal social protection including the rights to a living wage, housing and land, education, healthcare and maternity benefits, employment, old age benefits (pension guarantee), sanitation, water, care work (crèches), in line with International Labour Organization Convention 102 which deals with comprehensive question of social security.
To protect the workers from any kind of social, legal, political, economic and civic exclusion and discrimination including on the basis of caste, colour, gender, age, sex, religion, linguistic, region, and any other discrimination, as enshrined in the Constitution of India.
To protect and safeguard rights of all the gig and platform workers as citizens including but not limited to migrant workers, immigrants, and any other person(s) who directly or indirectly contributes to the economy but is not included in the legal definition of a worker, labourer or employee.

Governance Structure

The Union shall constitute of three broad bodies:

General Body.
Executive (working) committee.
State/District/Town/City/Unit committee.

TGPWU will be managed by the Executive Committee, comprising of the following elected executive members:

Position / Office Held	Name
President	Shaik Salauddin
Vice President (s)	M. Somaiah
	Mohd. Wajeed
	D. Santosh Naik
	D. Laxmi
General Secretary	Ch. Swamy
Joint Secretary (s)	Md. Faheemuddin
	L. Rajashekhar
	Faiyazuddin Md.
	B. Kanakaiah
Organization Secretary	Md. Mustafa Hussain
Treasurer	Kune Prakash
Executive Members	Md. Siraj Khan
	A. Sripal Reddy
	K Narasimha
	Md. Abdul Basi
Volunteers	Mohammed Saberuddin
	Shaik Sumer
	Shaik Faisal

In addition to the Executive Committee, the Union shall have committees at the State/District/Town/City/Unit area where 50 or more workers work. Unit Committees can consist of two or more adjoining areas. The above committees will have President, General Secretary, Treasurer and committee members as decided by the working committee.