A Democratic New York City Councilman quietly withdrew his support from the controversial, Mayor Zohran Mamdani-backed Delivery Protection Act aimed at cracking down on Amazon’s employment practices for “last-mile” delivery drivers — saying the legislation would lead to thousands of lost jobs, The Post has learned.
Councilman Phil Wong of Queens recently removed his name as co-sponsor of the bill after meeting with small business owners who told him it would force them to shutter and lay off their employees.
“I’ve been talking to many of the small businesses,” the pol, whose district covers Maspeth, Middle Village and other parts of Queens, told The Post on Monday. “If this bill gets passed, it will close a lot of them and that’s bad for my district.”
The councilman signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill when his far-left Queens colleague Tiffany Cabán introduced it in 2025. The legislation aims to end Amazon’s reliance on subcontractors by requiring the e-tail giant to get licenses for its 15 last-mile facilities in the city and hire delivery workers as full-timers. Other companies including FedEx would also be subject to the new rules.
The bill would affect over 5,000 delivery workers currently employed by about 40 third-party contractors, according Amazon.
Wong reupped his support for the bill when Cabán reintroduced it earlier this year, but took his name off it in September after a series of meetings with logistics companies.
Amazon doesn’t directly employ delivery workers anywhere in this country. It has threatened to close its last-mile warehouses in the Big Apple and fire about 2,000 workers that staff them if Cabán’s legislation passes.
New Yorkers’ delivery costs would increase an extra $664 a year, or about $5.20 per package, if the bill passes, according to an AKFR study commissioned by Amazon.
One of 35 current co-sponsors of the bill told The Post, “There is tremendous political pressure and I think a lot of my colleagues including myself don’t fully understand the ramifications of the bill.
“I agree with the intent of the bill to protect workers, but I’m concerned about people losing their jobs and the sponsor doesn’t deny that people will lose their jobs,” added the Council member, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing talks.
New York would be the first city in the country to implement such legislation – but it may not be the last.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who is considering a 2028 presidential run, recently urged Council Speaker Julie Menin (D-Manhattan) to schedule the bill for a vote.
“Delivery workers deserve safe and fair conditions, and big corporations should be held accountable when they try to avoid responsibility,” he wrote last month on X.
“Speaker @JulieMenin must put workers first and bring the Delivery Protection Act to a vote.”
Menin, a centrist, is yet to take a stance on the legislation but has voiced concern that it could lead to job losses and cause Amazon to raise prices.
For Wong’s part, his office got a call from the Teamsters union within minutes of removing his name from the bill in September, according to his chief of staff Daniel Kurzyna.
“They noticed fast,” Kurzyna told The Post. “And they have been calling us regularly to reconsider.”
Earlier this year, Teamsters and Amazon delivery workers shouted and booed each other at a raucous New York City Council hearing on the bill.
The democratic socialist Mamdani and members of the Teamsters held a rally at City Hall on Oct. 22 urging Menin to schedule an immediate vote.
In response, Menin aired her concerns over potential job losses and consumer costs. She said the bill is being reviewed by the city Law Department.
“The bill continues to move through the legislative process,” a Menin spokesperson told The Post. “The speaker remains committed to passing legislation that both protects workers and ensures these jobs stay in New York City.”
The Law Department is focusing on whether the bill violates the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994, which preempts states from implementing legislation that “relates to a price, route or service of any motor carrier,” sources told The Post.
This is not the first time Wong has taken a stand challenging his own party.
Last month, he said Mamdani should be investigated for using $1.6 million in taxpayer funds to push New Yorkers to back ballot proposals with messaging that plastered his face on buses and kiosks, as The Post reported.
The Post has sought comment from Cabán, the Law Department and the Teamsters.