Mamdani backs Teamsters in push to pass Delivery Protection Act against Amazon

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined hundreds of Amazon Teamsters at City Hall to push for the Delivery Protection Act, a bill that would curb subcontracting of last-mile delivery drivers. Amazon says the measure would cost thousands of jobs.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien and hundreds of Amazon Teamsters at a City Hall rally on Thursday to press the City Council to pass the Delivery Protection Act.

"When a worker wears an Amazon vest, drives an Amazon van and delivers on an Amazon-controlled route, but Amazon denies they work for the company — that's exploitation," Mamdani said. He added that traffic and injury-causing crashes spike on the streets around warehouses, and vowed: "We will pass the Delivery Protection Act."

The bill, written by Council Member Tiffany Cabán, would require last-mile delivery facilities to obtain city licenses and, after a phase-in period, would generally require operators to directly employ the workers who perform core warehouse and delivery work, sharply limiting the use of subcontracted drivers. It has 34 Council sponsors, more than the 26 votes needed to pass. Rally speakers urged Council Speaker Julie Menin, who has not publicly committed to the bill, to schedule a vote.

Amazon delivery workers and union members rally for the Delivery Protection Act

Amazon pushes back

Amazon says the bill would threaten the local small businesses it works with, affecting more than 40 delivery partners and over 5,000 jobs. The company called the exploitation claim "fundamentally flawed" and said it would consider leaving the city if the bill passes. A coalition of delivery contractors and drivers called New York Delivers rallied nearby, claiming 10,000 jobs are at risk. "It would put me out of business, it would put all my workers out of business," said Rudy Cazares, owner of Bronx-based Cazar Logistics.

The Teamsters say Amazon has spent more than $8 million on a campaign against the bill. State lobbying disclosures show Amazon contributed about $5 million to the Five Boroughs Jobs Campaign between February and May. O'Brien called Amazon "America's most corrupt white-collar crime syndicate."

A months-long campaign

Mamdani has backed the legislation for months. "If it looks like an Amazon delivery and drives like an Amazon delivery, then it's an Amazon delivery, right? Not according to Amazon," he said in an August video, arguing that big companies use networks of subcontractors to shield themselves from accountability.

An analysis by the advocacy group ALIGN counted 14,210 traffic violations tied to Amazon-related vehicles in New York City from July 2021 to June 2025. Amazon says its independent delivery partners are responsible for complying with traffic laws and that it works with them on safety.

Mamdani backs Teamsters in push to pass Delivery Protection Act against Amazon