App-based food delivery workers may be picking up a monkey’s paw after New York City announced a new minimum wage law that companies called a path to “eliminating jobs.”
Mayor Eric Adams (D) has presided over a violent crime wave as the Big Apple has been overrun by illegal aliens, but he has continued to put progressive policy advancement ahead of commonsense solutions. Sunday, that played out as – flanked by delivery drivers dressed to fit in with Antifa – he unveiled a new minimum wage for gig workers at $17.96 per hour.
Impacting those who work for delivery services like Uber Eats, DoorDash, GrubHub and more, the new rule going into effect on July 12 sees “deliveristas” getting a serious bump from the previous minimum of $7.09.
“Our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us. Now, we are delivering for them,” Adams said at a press conference. “This new minimum pay rate, up by almost $13 an hour, will guarantee these workers and their families can earn a living, access greater economic stability, and help keep our city’s legendary restaurant industry thriving.”
Working people keep our city moving every single day. We’re giving back to them. Join us now at City Hall. https://t.co/STM50VxXPN
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) June 11, 2023
“People must live off a base salary and I encourage everyone who’s listening to this, don’t forget to tip,” Hizzoner added of the rule that will increase to $19.96 April 2025 with annual adjustments for inflation.
According to the press release, “Apps have the option to pay delivery workers per trip, per hour worked, or develop their own formulas, as long as their workers make the minimum pay rate…on average. Apps that pay workers for all the time a worker is connected to the app (the time waiting for trip offers and trip time) must pay at least $17.96 per hour in 2023, which is approximately $0.30 per minute, not including tips.”
The move was lauded by Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer who said, “Delivery workers have kept New Yorkers nourished through the most perilous of conditions, delivering food right to our doors throughout the pandemic and unprecedented weather conditions in the past.”
“Thanks to the diligent work of the Adams administration and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, we are delivering on the mayor’s working people’s agenda and improving the lives and economic potential of more than 60,000 New Yorkers,” she went on.
Similar praise was heaped on by New York State Senator Jessica Ramos who likened the delivery workers to “frontline heroes” from “Throughout the darkest days of the pandemic and today.”
The wage rule comes following Local Law 115 passed in Sept. 2021 by the New York City Council which had completed its report last year.
However, the companies that employ the workers were not so keen on how this new rule will impact their business as they argued it would not only hurt them but the freelance wage earners as well.
The Associated Press reported that Uber Eats spokesperson Josh Gold had said, “The city is lying to delivery workers — they want apps to fund this increase by eliminating jobs and reducing tipping while forcing the remaining workers to deliver orders faster.”
Likewise, DoorDash released a statement hinting at potential legal action as they said, “Given the broken process that resulted in such an extreme final minimum pay rule, we will continue to explore all paths forward — including litigation — to ensure we continue to best support Dashers and protect the flexibility that so many delivery workers like them depend on.”
Reactions from consumers and constituents were similarly negative:
Guess I’m never ordering out again I just can’t afford what ever fees are going to be not worth it
— julio (@julioinfante87) June 11, 2023
Really. And what about all the city workers you fired for not taking a jab that didn’t stop illness or transmission. Where are their “reparations” and back pay? @teacher_choice @bravest4choice @cops4freedom
— #nycparentsagainstmandates (@nycparentsagai1) June 11, 2023
Why don’t you feel the same about your 250,000 retirees who gave their entire careers to our City. Please stop your unwillingness to acknowledge your Medicare Retirees and allow us to keep what we were promised? @FDNYchic @NycRetirees @NYCMayorsOffice
— Steve Bennett (@sbennett47) June 11, 2023
This City is not coming back. Period
— Pat Murphy (@SupvPatMurphy) June 11, 2023
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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