A New York City Council member has quietly stepped away from a closely watched bill that would reshape how Amazon delivers packages across the city. Queens Democrat Phil Wong removed his name as a co-sponsor of the Delivery Protection Act in September, citing the risk of job losses among the small companies that handle last-mile delivery.
The legislation, backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and championed by Council member Tiffany Cabán, would require Amazon to bring delivery drivers onto its own payroll rather than relying on subcontractors. Wong's reversal, first reported by the New York Post, comes as pressure builds on Council leadership to either schedule a vote or let the measure stall.
What the Delivery Protection Act Would Change
Cabán first introduced the bill in 2025 and brought it back earlier this year. It would require Amazon to obtain licenses for its 15 last-mile facilities in New York City and to employ delivery workers as full-time staff.
Other carriers, including FedEx, would also fall under the new rules. If passed, New York would be the first city in the country to adopt this kind of requirement.
According to Amazon, the bill would affect more than 5,000 delivery workers currently employed by roughly 40 third-party contractors. Amazon does not directly employ delivery drivers anywhere in the United States, relying instead on a network of independent delivery firms.
Why Wong Changed His Position
Wong, whose district includes Maspeth, Middle Village and other Queens neighborhoods, signed on as a co-sponsor when the bill first appeared and again when it was reintroduced. He withdrew after a series of meetings with logistics business owners who told him the rules would force them to close and lay off staff.
"If this bill gets passed, it will close a lot of them and that's bad for my district," Wong said.
His concerns appear to be shared by at least some colleagues. One of the bill's 35 remaining co-sponsors, speaking anonymously, said many members are under heavy political pressure and do not fully grasp the consequences, while supporting the goal of protecting workers.
Amazon's Warnings on Jobs and Prices
Amazon has threatened to shut its last-mile warehouses in the city and let go of about 2,000 people who work in them if the bill becomes law.
The company also commissioned a study from AKFR estimating that the legislation would add $664 a year to New Yorkers' delivery costs, or roughly $5.20 per package. Those figures come from Amazon-funded research and have become a central talking point in the debate.
Pressure From Labor and National Politicians
Supporters of the bill have been vocal. Wong's chief of staff, Daniel Kurzyna, said the Teamsters union called the office within minutes of the name being removed and has continued to reach out regularly urging a reversal.
Mamdani and Teamsters members held a rally at City Hall on October 22 calling on Council Speaker Julie Menin to schedule an immediate vote. Representative Ro Khanna of California, who is weighing a 2028 presidential bid, also publicly urged Menin to bring the measure to the floor.
Earlier this year, a Council hearing on the bill turned heated, with Teamsters and Amazon delivery workers shouting and booing at each other.
Speaker Menin and a Legal Question
Menin, a centrist, has not taken a formal position but has raised concerns about potential job losses and higher consumer prices. A spokesperson said the bill is still moving through the legislative process and that the speaker wants legislation that protects workers while keeping the jobs in the city.
The city's Law Department is reviewing the proposal. According to sources cited in the report, the review centers on whether the bill conflicts with the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994, which bars states from regulating matters related to the price, route or service of motor carriers.
Wong has broken with his party's leadership before. Last month he called for an investigation into Mamdani's use of $1.6 million in public funds on ballot proposal messaging featuring the mayor's image.
What the Fight Signals for Delivery Businesses
The dispute highlights the tension at the heart of Amazon's delivery model, which depends on small contractors that absorb much of the employment risk. Rules that shift that responsibility back to the platform could improve job security for drivers but also threaten the businesses built around the current system.
For founders running delivery service companies, the outcome in New York could set a template other cities follow, or a cautionary tale if federal preemption limits local action. Either way, the bill's fate now rests heavily on Menin's timing and the Law Department's legal assessment.
Source: New York Post
