A business group that counts Amazon as a member bought an ad for Wednesday night’s NBA Finals game to fight proposed New York City legislation that would force the e-commerce giant to hire thousands of delivery workers — and raise customers’ bills by hundreds of dollars per year.
The TV spot bought by the New York State Business Council will make the City Council’s Delivery Protection Act known to millions of Knicks fans tuning into the game on ESPN.
The bill from far-left Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán “would break Amazon’s same-day and two-day delivery, making it harder to get the essentials,” according to the 30-second ad, which implores local pols not to “break what’s working for New York families.”
The ad is part of a multi-million dollar campaign spearheaded by the Council, which tracks legislation in the city and state legislation that makes New York less affordable, a spokesperson said. The campaign will continue throughout the Finals.
A 30-second TV ad for game one of the Finals, between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, went for about $200,000, a source with knowledge of the situation said.
The controversial legislation would outlaw Amazon’s current model for deliveries and require so-called last-mile distribution centers to be licensed by the city and employ their delivery workers directly.
The legislation would affect some 5,000 workers who are employed by 40 small businesses — and raise New Yorkers’ delivery bills by about $664 per year, according to consultancy AKRF.
As written, the bill could force Amazon to “consider relocating delivery operations outside of the city,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told The Post in a statement.
“This would likely mean slower and more expensive delivery – deteriorating the experience for millions of customers in New York City.”
Amazon is considering relocating its 10 city-based distribution centers to areas just outside the city — New Jersey, Long Island and Westchester County.
At a raucous City Council hearing in April, delivery workers opposed to the bill and Teamsters who support it shouted and booed one another.