Delivery workers and owners assembled near New York City Hall on Thursday to voice strong opposition to the mayor‑backed “Delivery Protection Act.” The coalition of drivers, small‑business operators and community advocates warned that the legislation could jeopardize roughly 10,000 jobs, the majority of which are held by minority workers.
Local business owners fear extinction
Rudy Cazares, founder of veteran‑owned Cazar Logistics LLC, which has provided delivery services for Amazon for seven years, told reporters that his employees are anxious about the bill’s impact. “A lot of my workers come to me and say, ‘Hey Rudy, what’s going to happen to me, what’s going to happen to my job?'” Cazares said.
He warned that the bill would effectively shut down his company. “It would put me out of business, it would put all my workers out of business, eliminating those jobs,” he added.
Heaven Sanchez, a lead driver for Logistics Express, echoed those concerns, noting that the proposed language misrepresents the reality of delivery work. “The other side is painting a view that isn’t correct and it will put my job at risk and a lot of other jobs,” she said.
Mayor and supporters argue for accountability
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, council members and representatives from the Teamsters rallied on the steps of City Hall, arguing that the bill is needed to hold large e‑commerce platforms accountable for their subcontracting practices. “When a driver wears an Amazon vest, drives an Amazon van, follows a route Amazon sets and Amazon insists that driver doesn’t work for them, what is that if not exploitation?” Mamdani said.
City Council Member Tiffany Cabán added that the legislation targets the way companies like Amazon structure their delivery networks, which she says shields the corporations from responsibility while leaving workers vulnerable.
Amazon’s response
Amazon issued a statement calling the mayor’s claim of exploitation “fundamentally flawed” and warned that the bill could force the company to consider relocating its delivery operations out of the city. The company said such a move would likely result in slower and more expensive deliveries for New Yorkers.
“We’re committed to creating good jobs and supporting our thousands of employees in New York City. But as written, this legislation would directly undermine that commitment – threatening the small businesses that deliver to customers, putting the jobs of more than 5,000 of their employees at risk, and forcing us to consider relocating delivery operations outside of the city,” Amazon wrote.
Calls for dialogue
Cazares urged all parties to come together for a fact‑based discussion. “Let’s get all the stakeholders in one room, let’s talk about the facts, let’s remove the political theater around this because we’re talking about real jobs,” he said.
The debate highlights a broader tension between city officials seeking greater corporate accountability and delivery workers who rely on the current subcontracting model for employment. As the city moves forward with the bill, both sides say continued dialogue will be essential to protect jobs while addressing concerns about worker exploitation.
Original reporting: Brookhaven News – ABC7 New York — read the source article.
