Teamsters representatives rallied outside City Hall alongside Council Member Tiffany Cabán and a small number of workers from Amazon’s DBK1 facility in Woodside to call on the City Council to pass legislation early next year that would require delivery companies such as Amazon to directly hire their drivers.
Cabán’s Delivery Protection Act aims to end the Delivery Service Partner (DSP) model, which sees companies such as Amazon indirectly employ drivers through third-party businesses. Under the legislation, Amazon and other last-mile facilities in the city would be required to obtain licenses from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which would outline the conditions of the license, including safety, training and employment requirements.
Teamsters and a number of elected officials have criticized the existing DSP model – used at the DBK1 facility in Woodside and other Amazon warehouses in the city – stating that it allows major corporations like Amazon to distance themselves from their employees and make it harder to secure better working conditions.
Although not directly employed by Amazon, workers at the DBK1 warehouse often drive trucks and wear uniforms emblazoned with the company logo. Workers say they are also required to strictly follow Amazon rules or risk reprimand or termination.
Around 200 drivers at the DBK1 facility announced last week that they would be unionizing with Teamsters Local 804, with some drivers rallying alongside union representatives outside the DBK1 warehouse on Dec. 12. Workers at the rally criticized Amazon for alleged poor working conditions at the Woodside facility, stating that drivers are often faced with unrealistic quotas and inconsistent scheduling, among other complaints.
Amazon officials said the Dec. 12 rally was initiated by “outside organizers” and said the event had “no impact” on the company’s daily operations. Officials stated that DSP drivers are not Amazon employees and added that the program was started to support small and medium businesses.
Cabán’s legislation to end the DSP model had received a supermajority of sponsors ahead of the Council’s final stated meeting of the legislative session, but the bill did not come to a vote on Thursday. The bill had also not come to a hearing prior to Thursday’s meeting.
A spokesperson for Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is set to be replaced by Council Member Julie Menin in the new year, said last week that the bill was unlikely to come to a vote because Cabán only introduced it in September, noting that several bills were up for consideration in the final stated meeting of the session.
“(It) was just introduced in September, and with dozens of bills under consideration for the final week of the legislative session, this bill is unlikely to have a hearing and be completed in that time period,” a spokesperson for the Council Speaker said.
Officials close to Cabán also conceded last week that the bill was unlikely to pass this year but noted that Menin is a strong supporter of the legislation and said Cabán would be re-introducing it “first thing” next year.
Still, Teamsters and Cabán rallied outside City Hall on Thursday to call on the Council to pass the legislation early next year, with Teamsters also criticizing Adams for not holding a vote on Thursday.
Thomas Gesuladi, president of Teamsters Joint Council 16, noted that the bill had received bipartisan support and accused Adams of “failing the people of New York” by not holding a vote on Thursday.
“Amazon Teamsters won’t let Speaker Adams get in the way of delivering for our workers and our communities. The Delivery Protection Act will become law in New York City,” Gesuladi said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the Council Speaker previously stated that Adams had advocated for greater protections for delivery drivers in the city but added that the legislation must go through the Council’s legislative process.
“Workers who are employed by last-mile companies and facilities play an important role in our economy, and they deserve greater safety and protections,” a spokesperson for the Council Speaker said. “Every bill must go through the Council’s legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough public engagement, input, and negotiation.”
Cabán said Thursday that she would continue to fight for the legislation next year.
“Let’s be clear – because we are closing out this term – we have not gotten what we want yet, but we will,” Cabán said.
Vincent Perrone, president of Teamsters Local 804, said the legislation would help support labor and protect communities throughout the city.
“We’re calling on the incoming council to pass the Delivery Protection Act expeditiously next year,” Perrone said.
