Urban Company: Women workers protest against new work systems; get penalised with lawsuits

It has not been even been two months since home services provider Urban Company faced allegations of work exploitation from workers on the platform and once again the gates of the startup in Gurgaon were flooded with 'partners' protesting sweeping changes to their work-payment model.

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More than hundred workers from different parts on the country started a strike on Monday and marked protest outside the gates of the company. At the heart of the protest is a new system that will have them plan their monthly calendar of work and pay an upfront subscription fee to secure this work plan. The CEO of Urban Company reportedly held brief inconclusive discussion with representatives of the protesting gig workers.

Entrackr reported that more than fifty protesting women stayed overnight in front of the company’s Gurgaon office and reportedly company shut the gates on them at night amid freezing temperatures, curtailing washroom access for them.

In fact reports now indicate that home services provider Urban Company has filed a lawsuit against women ‘partners’ working with the platform, seeking directions to the workers, their family members and other associates to cease their ‘illegal’ protest and vacate the company’s office, main entrance and parking lot.

In October, 100 ‘partners’ associated with the company had staged a protest demanding better pay, safer working conditions, and social security benefit