Union and community organizations from the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition were given a reason to celebrate after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act into law on Sunday, Dec. 22.
The legislation will go into effect on June 1, 2025, to reduce warehouse injuries in New York, where one in nine workers is hurt on the job every year. The 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics data revealed that this was more than double the national average.
The signing comes during the grueling holiday shopping season and as Amazon workers at several facilities in New York City are striking for fair pay, safe work, job security, and more.
The coalition behind the bill, which includes ALIGN, Teamsters, National Employment Law Project (NELP), and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), recently released new data showing a 30% increase in injuries in a single year, making warehouse work among the most dangerous jobs in New York.
Just last week, a federal Senate investigation revealed that internal Amazon safety teams linked the corporation’s arduous pace of work and repetitive motions to serious injuries yet took no meaningful corrective action.
“With the potential appointment of a former Amazon Executive heading towards the federal Department of Labor, we must shore up worker protections in New York State. After passing the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, Amazon still increased its warehouse footprint and business operations in New York, demonstrating that we do not need to sacrifice a worker’s health and safety for profit,” said Senator Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Labor Committee.
Ramos represents District 13, which covers the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights.
In June, the Assembly unanimously passed the Act which passed the Senate by a vote of 52 to 5. Sponsored by Ramos and Assembly Member Harry Bronson, the legislation will establish industry-wide safety standards, require annual safety evaluations of large warehouses for hazards and assign fixes, improve training and medical care, and empower the Department of Labor to implement and enforce the law.
In addition to keeping workers safe and holding companies like Amazon accountable for job safety, the bill will reduce employer turnover and ease the burden on the state’s healthcare and workers’ compensation systems.
“The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act being signed into law represents a significant victory for warehouse workers and their right to safety on the job. This victory couldn’t have come at a better time as we head into an uncertain future for America’s workforce. As Labor Chair, my priority will always be ensuring that warehouses and all job sites enact safety measures that put the health of our workers above profits,” added Bronson, who represents the 138th Assembly District and greater New York State.
The legislation comes as hundreds of Amazon warehouse workers and drivers walked off the job and joined the picket line outside the massive DBK4 Amazon fulfillment center in Maspeth earlier this month.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) launched the largest strike ever against the $2 trillion corporation in New York City, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Illinois, with workers from other Amazon facilities also joining the strike.
“With Amazon workers on strike and federal labor rights at risk, it’s the right time for New York to take action to protect warehouse workers. Thanks to Governor Hochul, our sponsor champions, and our tenacious coalition — signing the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act into law is a huge victory for workers and shows companies like Amazon that our state will not stand for anything less than safety on the job. Let this be the start of our journey to go from #1 in warehouse injuries to #1 in safety!” stated Theodore A. Moore, Executive Director of ALIGN and leader of the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition.
They are protesting unfair labor practices after the IBT set a Dec. 15 deadline for Amazon to begin negotiations on a new agreement, which was ignored.
“The Teamsters have a long history of fighting for good jobs in the warehouse industry. As Amazon Teamsters continue that fight on the picket line, the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act makes New York a national leader in standing up to Amazon’s abusive practices. Thanks to Governor Hochul, Senator Ramos, and Assembly Member Bronson for taking action to protect warehouse workers,” added Thomas Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16.
