Domestic and gig workers condemn ‘maid-in-15-minutes’ offer by Urban Company

A service company is offering the service of domestic workers in 15 minutes. Urban Company, in a post on social media platform X, claimed that the service partners will be able to earn ₹150-₹180 per hour, and benefits like free health insurance and on-job life and accidental coverage would be provided.

The Domestic Workers’ Rights Union (DWRU) and Stree Jagruti Samiti have questioned the move of a service company to introduce ‘Insta Help’, offering the service of domestic workers in 15 minutes.  

The domestic worker-for-hire service was introduced by Urban Company in select areas of Mumbai. It provides app users with access to house help within 15 minutes for introductory prices as low as ₹49 per hour. 

The unions termed this move ‘exploitative and dehumanising’.

“Are we progressing in terms of ensuring decent wages and working conditions for domestic workers, and other informal labour? Or, are we descending back to the age of slavery, dressed under the shiny garb of market, service, and technology,” questioned the DWRU. 

The union pointed out that domestic workers, often rendered invisible under the shroud of gender, caste and class discrimination, already work without any social protection, benefits, contracts or grievance redressal mechanisms. The union sought to know if the platform would take responsibility for workplace abuse or accidents at workplace of domestic workers. 

Earlier, the offer had drawn objections from the Indian Federation of App Based Transport Workers (IFAT) and Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union (TGPWU). 

Shaik Salauddin, National General Secretary of IFAT and founder president of TGPWU called it a ‘dangerous precedent’ that prioritises speed over workers’ rights and dignity. He alleged that the model forces domestic workers into a high-pressure, high-risk work environment with no concern for their well-being, and such services lead to exploitation, unrealistic performance expectations and job insecurity, with no social security or benefits for workers.