NYC Mayor Mamdani announces support for the Delivery Protection Act
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly backed the Delivery Protection Act, a City Council bill that would tighten rules on last-mile delivery operations. The legislation targets companies, most notably Amazon, that rely heavily on contractors rather than direct employees to complete final package deliveries, and would require such workers to be hired as regular staff while imposing new licensing requirements on delivery operators. Mamdani argues the change is needed because firms like Amazon dictate how and when deliveries happen but avoid liability for problems on the job, since drivers are classed as contractors.
The bill, introduced several months ago, is supported by groups including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who say it would force large companies to take responsibility for delivery conditions and improve pay and benefits for workers. Amazon opposes the measure, warning it could raise costs, slow deliveries and push firms to relocate distribution centres outside New York City to avoid the added regulation.
- Mamdani backs bill forcing delivery firms to hire staff, not contractors
- Amazon faces new licensing rules under the Delivery Protection Act
- Amazon warns of higher costs and possible relocation from NYC
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NYC's Delivery Protection Act is a City Council bill aimed at how packages get to your door in their final stretch, known as "last-mile" delivery. Rather than employing drivers directly, many large delivery operations, Amazon being the most prominent example, use contractors to handle this final leg. The bill would require these drivers to be brought on as regular employees and would introduce licensing rules for companies that run delivery operations in the city.
The proposal sits at the heart of a wider debate about the "gig economy" model, where companies can set strict conditions on how work is done while treating those doing it as independent contractors rather than staff. Supporters, including the Teamsters union, argue this arrangement lets firms avoid responsibility for pay, benefits and working conditions. Amazon and other opponents say the added costs and rules could push companies to move distribution facilities out of New York City altogether.
Zohran Mamdani, New York City's mayor, has now added his voice in favour of the bill, giving it a higher political profile. The decision matters because it could influence whether the legislation gains enough momentum to pass, and because it touches on questions that extend well beyond delivery vans, about how cities should regulate large employers that rely on contract labour.