Shaik Salauddin

Hyderabad, Telangana

Project: Telangana Gig and Platform Workers’ Union
Organising gig workers through data, platforms and campaigns for equitable laws, policies and worker rights

Shaik Salauddin organizes platform-based gig workers into collectives to ensure full access to worker security and rights. A taxi driver and blue-collar leader, Shaik founded the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), a registered trade union based in Hyderabad.

With 10,000 registered members, TGPWU is a platform for solidarity, awareness, and social capital for gig workers. It offers members various strategic interventions and crisis resolution mechanisms. Since its formation, TGPWU has successfully anchored creative online and offline campaigns to advocate for worker rights.

Shaik also showcases innovative advocacy models focusing on data, storytelling, campaigns, and dialogue with different stakeholders. One example is the “Gig Workers ki Aawaaz” podcast series, co-curated with the Hyderabad Urban Lab (HUL). This series features conversations where gig workers express their concerns in their own voices, helping to make their struggles more relatable to a wider audience.

Shaik is building an India-wide network of leaders to generate momentum for formulating laws and policies for the growing community of gig workers. He also serves on a Government of India committee that formulates social security policies for gig and platform workers nationally.

“Being part of TGPWU has transformed my approach to organizing. Before, I was addressing issues individually, but now, I see the power of collective action. It has given me the opportunity to step back, assess our work, and plan strategically for the future of gig and platform workers.”

Follow along with Shaik:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaik-salauddin-a56a13a4/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tgpwu/