Mamdani Rallies for Delivery Driver Protections Bill Amid Backlash Over Job Loss Fears

We will stand against the corporations that seek to extort them, the ones that seek to make our streets less safe in the process. And when we do so, these corporations will be forced to answer when their employees get hurt on the job. No longer will they be allowed to look the other way when their quotas put drivers and pedestrians in danger. These companies may have lobbyists. You heard from Sean that they may have millions of dollars to spend. may have seen yourself an innumerable number of YouTube pre-roll ads about the Delivery Protection Act over these last few weeks and months and yet we know that all of that cannot match the most powerful force in our city's history workers who do not know how to quit. We stand here together because this same coalition led by organized labor has won so much of what makes this city such an incredible place to live and this same coalition will make it such that the workers who deliver the profits for the most profitable companies this world has ever seen will finally also be able to earn the dignity and respect that they have long deserved brings all of us together today that is what is going to get us over the finish line that is why we stand up and say we can beat back more than 10 million dollars in lobbyist spending because we have worker power thank you very much i'm excited y'all i like i can't i can't hide it it's oozing from my entire being it has been a long long road to get to this point we've been through a lot and we're gonna pass this bill yes so thank you thank you to mayor mondani for your support thank you to everybody else that's here for being with us it's great to have Teamster General President Sean O'Brien in the house behind you you will see the genesis of this bill the why of this bill the amazon workers who have been fighting for a better safer condition for years all that we were waiting for is the speaker back then to take the bill to a vote and we wouldn't be sitting here today matter of fact These Amazon workers will be working with pride and dignity. But unfortunately, too many times, when we are called upon as union leaders, as union members, to get people elected, there's a lot of promises made. A lot of promises made, like we will get that to a vote immediately. We're calling on the Speaker right now because we have veto-proof legislation. We have support of the majority of the New York City Council. have champions fighting and waiting for this legislation. Now it's time to get off your ass and make delivery on those promises that you promised the most important people, the hard-working people of the City of New York, and call for the vote. Too many times we give our sweat equity as union members, as union leaders. We buy into the fact that this promise is made. Well we're here today to to make sure those promises are kept. Keep your promises. Don't fall in love with corporate America. Don't allow Jeff Bezos and that white-collar crime syndicate to think they call the shots in the city of New York. They can spend $22 million. They can spend $32 million. But the one thing's for certain. All we need is to hold that white-collar crime syndicate accountable. It's a vote. A vote that's going to pass, and it's going to create opportunity, not just in New York City, but around this entire country.