Queens Councilman Drops Support for Delivery Worker Bill
Published November 9, 2026.
The proposed law would require Amazon and other large delivery companies to obtain city licenses for last-mile facilities and directly employ delivery workers, rather than use contractors. The bill’s sponsor, Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, first introduced it in 2025 and brought it back this year. It has 35 co-sponsors.
Wong, whose Queens district includes Maspeth and Middle Village, said conversations with small-business owners led him to remove his name from the bill in September. He said it could force businesses to close. Amazon has warned that it could shut its New York City last-mile warehouses and eliminate about 2,000 jobs if the measure passes. The company says roughly 5,000 workers are employed by about 40 contractors affected by the proposal.
The National Urban League has also urged lawmakers not to advance the bill as written. Its op-ed says an estimated quarter of delivery businesses are Black-owned, and cites an analysis projecting an estimate that thousands of jobs might be threatened. The organization supports stronger worker protections but argues the direct-employment requirement could endanger businesses and livelihoods, including those of workers of color.
Supporters, including the Teamsters and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have pressed Council Speaker Julie Menin to schedule a vote. Menin has raised concerns about job losses and higher consumer costs, while saying the measure remains under review by the city Law Department. The department is examining whether the proposal conflicts with federal law governing motor-carrier services.
Protect Delivery Workers From Corporate Contractor Systems
Published November 9, 2026.
New York City’s Delivery Protection Act is intended to hold major delivery companies accountable and strengthen safeguards for workers. Yet Councilman Phil Wong has pulled his support, warning that local businesses could close and workers could lose jobs. His concern deserves attention, but it should not erase the bill’s goal: ensuring corporations take responsibility for the people who deliver their goods.
The measure would require Amazon and other large companies to obtain city licenses for last-mile facilities and directly employ delivery workers instead of relying on contractors. Amazon says about 5,000 workers at roughly 40 contractors could be affected and has threatened to close its city warehouses, putting about 2,000 jobs at risk. Those are serious claims, but the prospect of corporate withdrawals should not alone decide whether workers receive protections.
The National Urban League argues the proposal could also endanger locally owned businesses, including Black-owned firms, and cites an analysis projecting thousands of jobs at risk. Its concerns about economic opportunity merit a response from lawmakers. The challenge is to protect workers while addressing the vulnerabilities of contractors and their employees—not to leave the existing arrangement untouched.
The Teamsters and Mayor Zohran Mamdani have urged Council Speaker Julie Menin to bring the bill to a vote. Menin has cited possible job losses and consumer price increases, and the Law Department is reviewing the measure. The Council should weigh those concerns alongside the protections the bill seeks to establish.
Delivery Bill Risks Jobs and Black-Owned Businesses
Published November 9, 2026.
A New York City bill promoted as worker protection could put thousands of livelihoods at risk. Councilman Phil Wong withdrew his backing after small-business owners warned him that the Delivery Protection Act could force them to close. The proposal would require Amazon and other major delivery companies to directly employ workers rather than rely on contractors.
The stakes reach beyond large companies. The National Urban League says about 25 percent of delivery businesses are Black-owned, and cites an analysis projecting thousands of jobs could be threatened. It argues the mandate could strip locally owned firms of the contracts that sustain them, putting workers and businesses at risk in communities where economic opportunity matters.
Amazon says about 5,000 workers at roughly 40 contractors could be affected and has threatened to close its New York City last-mile warehouses, eliminating about 2,000 jobs. Wong’s warning reflects the concern that a law written to protect workers may instead remove their current jobs and weaken the small businesses employing them.
Supporters, including the Teamsters and Mayor Zohran Mamdani, want Council Speaker Julie Menin to schedule a vote. Menin has raised concerns about job losses and higher consumer costs. The city Law Department is reviewing whether the proposal conflicts with federal law. The Council should not press ahead with the direct-employment mandate without addressing what happens to the businesses and workers whose livelihoods depend on the existing contracts.
Reported by New York Post, amNY.
