NYC Mayor: Amazon Must Play by the Same Rules
It's time Amazon played by the same rules as everyone else [video]
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is backing the Delivery Protection Act, which would regulate subcontractors used by Amazon and other corporations to avoid responsibility for workers and street safety. The video argues that if a delivery looks and drives like an Amazon delivery, it should be treated as one, regardless of subcontractor status.
If it looks like an Amazon delivery, it drives like an Amazon delivery, then it’s an Amazon delivery, right? Not according to Amazon.
- RGS1811
Democracy depends on public education about policy needs, not just electoral fundraising and stupid campaign ads. This video is a brilliant piece of political rhetoric, because it says “here’s an issue you should care about”, gets a little technical in ways normal people can understand, and then says “hey we want to do something to fix this, please join us in this effort”.
It’s upbeat, it’s rational. It’s so good.
- podgietaru
I'm surprised to see so much of the rhetoric here being about what the concrete difference is... It is relatively easy to look that up, no?
As far as I can see from a literal 5 second google search:
- Liability for Injury at work is no longer on Amazon
- Liability for injuries caused by Amazon workers get shifted to the Worker, rather than Amazon (despite the fact that some of the conditions leading to that may come from Amazon themselves)
- It is harder to negotiate, as Amazon's official position is that "They do not work for us"
- It is easier to stop employment of sub-contractors.
The video already mentions this, but the idea of sub-contracting is that you are responsible for your own hours, routes, etc. This is clearly not the case for these workers.
- EugeneG
Honest question: what are the actual concrete issues where Amazon is shirking responsibility they would have otherwise had? Was there a specific court case where Amazon didn't pay what it would have otherwise? A workplace injury that would have been covered but otherwise wasn't? If these exist, are they systemic - i.e., does it happen more often here than it does with UPS or FedEx delivery workers?
There are insinuations here, and a good video, but it would be good to have actual examples and then an actual demonstration of a pattern of harm, before we introduce new rules that are likely going to make deliveries more expensive.
I understand that a YouTube video isn't a policy document... and I don't expect it to have all of these things. But as a citizen, I do expect - that somewhere - there should be an actual policy document that outlines the facts.
- jtbayly
But… what does it do?!
I’m all about holding Amazon to the same standards, but what precisely does this accomplish? The subcontracting delivery companies already have to follow the same laws as every other company, don’t they?
- pandanube
This guy cant stop winning, can we clone him and get one for each state?
- slicktux
Honest question; it’s not Amazon that requires them to wear an Amazon vest but rather their contractor. Amazon may set the route but they don’t pay them to run the route.
This should be interesting from a legal perspective.
- novia
Contractors get paid less and don't get the same benefits as a full Amazon employee. It makes sense for NYC to push for them to be recognized as employees.
It also makes sense for Amazon to push hard into drone delivery for NYC as a response, which I also support.
- ptaffs
We might expect the politicians to legislate against this, please at the same time, if you can, spend your money with better companies.