New York, NY — A broad coalition of organizations, community leaders, and elected officials gathered at City Hall on Thursday in support of Council Member Tiffany Cabán’s Delivery Protection Act (Int. 518), a bill that would for the first time regulate last-mile deliveries of packages by companies like Amazon. The last-mile industry, which is on track to deliver 1 billion packages this year has been plagued by safety issues, workers’ rights violations, and environmental impacts. Advocates and labor leaders called on the City Council to pass the bill to keep workers, and New Yorkers writ large, safe by passing this legislation.
“For too long, companies like Amazon have gotten away with subcontracting away any accountability as they put workers and our communities in danger, all so executives can make a quick buck,” said Council Member Tiffany Cabán, lead sponsor of the Delivery Protection Act. “That ends now. We’re going to pass the Delivery Protection Act to make sure that workers’ rights are respected and that our streets and neighborhoods are safe.”
“The workers who deliver packages to our doors in every kind of weather deserve what every worker deserves: a fair paycheck, dignity on the job and a boss who is held accountable for how they treat their employees,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “Amazon has built a system that lets bosses avoid that responsibility. Drivers are standing up and demanding change. I’m proud to stand with them, the Teamsters and Councilmember Cabán in the fight for the dignity and protections every worker deserves.”
“Amazon is America’s most corrupt white-collar crime syndicate, wasting millions to rob warehouse workers of the right to collectively bargain while designing a nationwide subcontracting scheme to deny employment rights to its entire fleet of delivery drivers,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “New York City is a vital artery of Amazon’s global logistics operations, and it must be the first city to pass the Delivery Protection Act. Amazon’s unchecked exploitation of drivers and parcel delivery workers has got to end. The Teamsters are honored to lead the fight to fix a broken system stacked against working people, and we thank Mayor Mamdani, Councilmember Cabán, and the supermajority of the City Council for standing with workers at this critical moment.”
“The Delivery Protection Act is underpinned by a simple principle: building an economy that puts people over packages. For far too long, giant corporations have designed working arrangements that let them reap the rewards while workers and the public bear the risks. It’s exactly what subcontracting has become: a way to outsource the work—and outsource the responsibility for safety on our streets. New York City has had enough,” said DCWP Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine. “This is common sense legislation. I’m proud to partner with Council Member Cabán, Mayor Mamdani, and the City Council to get it over the finish line.”
“The Delivery Protection Act is a needed step to hold accountable the major corporations that have built their business on an unsafe and unfair subcontracting system which protects them from responsibility while leaving workers and our streets vulnerable,” said Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “My district includes JFK Airport and the surrounding neighborhoods, where we see the need for City oversight of last mile facilities every day. Rushed routes and unrealistic quotas don’t stay inside the warehouse. They show up on our streets. I’m grateful to Council Member Cabán for her leadership and proud to stand with the Teamsters and workers who keep our city moving.”
“It’s unacceptable that Amazon continues to use subcontracting schemes to underpay workers, evade responsibility, and engage in illegal union busting,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “The Delivery Protection Act is a long-overdue step toward accountability and dignity for delivery workers. I’m proud to stand with the Teamsters and my Council colleagues to hold powerful corporations accountable and deliver real protections for workers and communities across New York City.”
“I’m proud to sponsor Council Member Tiffany Cabán’s Delivery Protection Act, which holds big delivery corporations accountable, increases worker protections, and ends shell “subcontractor” drivers. Amazon is doing everything in its power to spread misinformation about this bill because they know it gives power back to the New Yorkers who make them billions in profits every year. It’s long past time that we end the unfair labor practices of “Delivery Service Partners” and give dignity back to workers. This legislation creates safer New York streets and puts New York workers first,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan, District 25.
“Amazon’s worker exploitation sets the stage for exploitation across our economy,” said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. “We cannot allow the corporation with the highest revenue on the planet run by one of the world’s wealthiest billionaires to get away with shortchanging workers. The fight of Amazon delivery drivers is our fight – and we are proud to stand with them. United, workers can win dignity and stability against even the most powerful rogue corporations. The City Council must pass the Delivery Protection Act and send the message loud and clear that workers matter in our city and the days of corporate impunity and worker misclassification are over.”
“Amazon has spent millions of dollars fighting the Delivery Protection Act because it calls their bluff — they don’t care about keeping workers and communities safe. Amazon’s business model relies on putting profit over people again and again, and that’s why it’s time for the City Council to stand with New Yorkers against the biggest corporation in the world and pass the Delivery Protection Act,” said Daisy Chung, ALIGN Campaigns Director.
“New Yorkers shouldn’t have to sacrifice worker safety or their health for corporate profits. It’s time to hold wealthy corporations like Amazon accountable for the impacts they impose on delivery workers and neighboring communities,” said Sasan Saadat, Senior Research and Policy Analyst at Earthjustice. “The Delivery Protection Act brings safer working conditions and safer streets for New Yorkers. This should be an easy yes for the City Council.”
“New York City needs the Delivery Protection Act. It’s time to hold Amazon – and any company engaged in last mile delivery – accountable for the conditions they create. Workers must be protected. Our streets must be made safe. The Delivery Protection Act does this with common-sense solutions. In a city where even bingo game operators need a license, it only makes sense that an industry with widespread impact on public safety be licensed too,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
“Amazon has made a business out of dodging responsibility for the workers who make its profit possible. Last-mile delivery workers are being pushed to meet high quotas in extreme heat, heavy traffic, and with little recourse when they get hurt: they have no OSHA protections, can’t file for workers’ compensation, and have no systems in place to protect worker health and safety. The Delivery Protection Act gives New York City the tools to hold Amazon accountable: if you’re going to make billions running deliveries on NYC streets, you have a responsibility to keep workers and the public safe.” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of NYCOSH.
“Whether it’s throughout the hospitality or delivery industry, we’ve seen how crucial direct employment is to ensuring workers receive the protections, wages, and dignity they deserve. The Delivery Protection Act will improve the lives of thousands of workers across the city, and HTC is proud to support this pivotal legislation,” said Rich Maroko, President of the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council.
“In the NYC Labor Movement we’ve seen employers use subcontracting to avoid responsibility for their workers across New York City, and last-mile delivery is no exception,” said New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO President Brendan Griffith. “Companies like Amazon control the work and collect the profits, but leave workers without basic protections. The Delivery Protection Act would hold these companies accountable and improve safety for both workers and communities. It’s time for the City Council to bring this bill to a vote and get it passed.”
“If we want a truly just and democratic society, democracy must extend into the workplaces where we spend most of our adult lives. We need an organized working class that can stand up to corporate power. The Delivery Protection Act, which enhances workers’ rights and puts an end to corporate shell games, is how we fight back, rebuild the working class, and win a society that works for workers. This bill will pass as soon as Speaker Menin calls a vote. When it does, we hope it galvanizes similar efforts across the country to fight back against corporate oligarchs like Jeff Bezos.” said Grace Mausser, Co-Chair of the NYC-Democratic Socialists of America.
