Brickbat: Paying More for Less
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is supporting a proposed law that would require Amazon and other large delivery companies to directly employ delivery workers instead of using independent delivery companies. Mamdani says the law would protect workers and make large corporations more responsible for their labor practices. Amazon and other opponents argue that the measure could hurt thousands of workers and small businesses that currently handle deliveries, while also making deliveries slower and more expensive. A study commissioned by local business groups estimates that the law could cost the average New York household about $664 more per year, and opponents argue it could put as many as 10,000 delivery jobs at risk as retailers move their logistics operations out of the city. Supporters, including the Teamsters union, say Amazon's subcontracting system allows the company to avoid responsibility for its workers.