Shaik Salauddin

{{Short description|Indian Trade Unionist}}

{{Confused|Shaikh Salahuddin (Hyderabad politician)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Shaik Salauddin

| image =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = 1985

| birth_place = Amberpet

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| nationality = Indian

| other_names =

| occupation = Trade Union Activist

| years_active = 2014-

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| otherparty = *Telangana Four Wheeler Drivers' Association

• Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union

}}

Shaik Salauddin ({{IPAc-en|ʃ|eɪ|k|ˈ|s|æ|l|ə|'|ʌ|d|ɪ|n}}) has worked with app-based ride-hailing companies since 2012 and has been a driver organizer in Hyderabad since 2014. In his role as an organizer, he founded Telangana Four Wheeler Driver's Association to represent the interests of outsourced, contracted and other private drivers. In 2016, he established the Telangana State Taxi and Drivers' Joint Action Committee, which brought 20 drivers' associations and unions in the state under one organizational umbrella. He is the founder President of Telengana Gig And Platform Workers Union(TGPWU),{{cite web |title= The Indian Federation of App-based Transport Workers: A case study |url=https://clb.org.hk/content/indian-federation-app-based-transport-workers-case-study |website=China Labour Bulletin |access-date=2 February 2023 |date=2 November 2020}}and other gig transport workers. This includes the workers on platforms such as Ola, Uber, Swiggy, Zomato, Rapido and Dunzo, since 2019.{{cite web |title=Meet the Most Powerful Uber Driver in India |url=https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/meet-most-powerful-uber-driver-india |website=pulitzercenter.org |access-date=2 February 2023}} He is also the founder and current president of the Telangana Four Wheeler Drivers' Association.{{cite web |title=‘Uber Commute’ illegal: Taxi drivers |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/200220/uber-commute-illegal-taxi-drivers.html |website=Deccan Chronicle |access-date=2 February 2022}}

In this role, he has helped to advise and coordinate efforts across states, organizing collective action of drivers and delivery workers and meeting policy makers and other stakeholders. He has also been a key petitioner in petitions in the Supreme Court of India supporting platform workers' rights in India intending to avail social security benefits for app-based gig workers.{{cite web |title=Why gig work is so hard to regulate |url=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220308-why-gig-work-is-so-hard-to-regulate |website=www.bbc.com |access-date=2 February 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Ramani |first1=Priya |title=Shaik Salauddin's dreams for gig economy workers |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/shaik-salauddins-dreams-for-gig-economy-workers/article66502963.ece |access-date=25 July 2023 |work=The Hindu |date=17 February 2023}} He has also coordinated with political parties including the Indian National Congress regarding concerns of the platform based gig workers, especially during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.{{cite news |last1=Gurmat |first1=Sabah |title=Surveilled and exploited by intrusive technology, workers across India are rising up together |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/india-gig-economy-unionization-digital-right/ |access-date=25 July 2023 |work=The Daily Dot |date=9 March 2023}} In 2022, he started a new organization called [https://tgpwu.org/ Telangana Gig and Platform Workers' Union (TGPWU).]

His active advocacy resulted in bringing key policy reforms and discussions around social security and other rights of the platform-based gig workers, resulting in the Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers Bill,{{cite news |last1=Minhaz |first1=Ayesha |title=Rajasthan’s gig law a step in the right direction, but more needed to protect platform workers |url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/the-nation/human-rights/how-gig-workers-livelihoods-are-rife-with-uncertainties-and-exploitation-rajasthan-becomes-first-state-to-pass-law-bringing-gig-workers-under-a-social-security-net/article67130992.ece/ |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=Frontline |date=10 August 2023}} followed by the Karnataka Platform-based Gig Workers Bill.{{cite news |last1=Swamy |first1=Rakshita |title=A case for regulating gig-based work |url=https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/karnataka-government-legislation-for-gig-workers/article68434150.ece#:~:text=Karnataka's%20draft%20Bill%20introduces%20provisions,flexibility%20of%20being%20independent%20contractors |access-date=23 July 2024 |work=The Hindu |date=22 July 2024}} He was awarded the Shram Shakti Award by Ch. Malla Reddy, Minister for Labour and Employment, Factories, and Skill Development, Government of Telangana.