More than 1,300 delivery drivers in New York City and nearby suburbs may have lost their jobs without the 90 days of warning required under state law, prompting a new union complaint targeting Amazon and 13 of its subcontractors, according to The City Reporter.
Here's what to know
Filed Aug. 18 with New York's Labor Department, the complaint from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters accuses Amazon and 13 subcontracted delivery companies of violating the state's WARN Act.
The union says delivery sites were shut down, or workers were dismissed, between September 2023 and October 2025, which affected more than 1,300 people.
New York law generally requires private employers with at least 50 full-time workers to give 90 days' notice before a large layoff or a closure.
Companies that do not can be ordered to pay back wages, benefits, and penalties, and the Teamsters say the workers in this case could be owed as much as $11 million.
The union also claims that some subcontractors did not issue layoff notices until after layoffs or closures had already occurred.
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Latrice Johnson, a former Cornucopia Logistics driver, first found out her shop was shutting down when coworkers began posting in a group chat while she was off the clock.
"It was devastating. I was looking forward to going back in and making next week's paycheck," Johnson told The City Reporter.
"You call me a top driver two months ago, and now you're giving me the boot?"
More background
Amazon has consistently argued that the people delivering its packages are not its employees, even though they use Amazon-branded vans, wear Amazon-branded gear, and depend on Amazon systems and support.
In New York, those jobs are routed through more than 40 subcontractors known as delivery service partners, or DSPs.
Opponents of that setup say it lets Amazon benefit from a closely controlled delivery network while keeping legal responsibility further away in disputes over crashes, pay complaints, and union matters, a concern that The City Reporter also noted.
Responding to the complaint, Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly maintained that the drivers worked for "independent small businesses" that make their own decisions, including "whether they want to work with other companies besides Amazon."
He asserted that it was subcontractors' responsibility "to comply with all applicable WARN laws."
What's being done?
The Teamsters are asking both the state Labor Department and New York City's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to examine the alleged WARN Act violations and, where appropriate, open enforcement proceedings.
A spokesperson for the state Labor Department confirmed that the complaint is under review.
Supporters are also pushing a bill called the Delivery Protection Act, which would require Amazon to directly employ delivery workers rather than rely on local subcontractors.
Introduced by Queens Councilmember Tiffany Cabán, the measure drew support from 34 lawmakers and Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
City Hall spokesperson Cassio Mendoza said the allegations "underscore the fact that subcontracting by companies like Amazon has become a way to outsource labor and accountability."
Amazon and allied business groups claim the bill would damage small businesses and cost jobs.
"New Yorkers should not be forced to subsidize corporate profits with less safe streets and more precarious jobs. It's time to end the subcontracting model that puts profits over people and build an economy that works for working New Yorkers," Mamdani said, in response to Cabán's bill.
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