Albany — Warehouse workers at delivery and parcel companies like Amazon and UPS have new protections against what activists say are unrealistic labor quotas, thanks to a law Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law last week. will receive.
The Warehouse Workers Protection Act targets manual warehouse workers, including those in warehouses operated by couriers and delivery companies.
The new law requires warehouse companies to provide their employees with documentation of their expected work assignments when they are hired or when the law takes effect two months from now.
Employees must also provide copies of quotas when changes are made. You also have the right to request an assignment at any time, even after your employment has ended.
Furthermore, quotas that set expectations, such as the number of packages that must be moved or placed in a delivery area, cannot prevent lunch, breaks, or bathroom breaks.
The bill was sponsored by Democratic Senator Jessica Ramos of Queens and Democratic Rep. Latoya Joyner of the Bronx, who chair the Labor Committee at the conference.
This was spearheaded in part by the New Yorkers for a Just Economy, a coalition of unions that includes Teamsters representing UPS employees. The Amazon Labor Union representing the Amazon fulfillment center in Staten Island. Retail, wholesale, department store associations.
Amazon has been the target of complaints over the past few years about employees saying the pace of work in its large warehouses and fulfillment centers is stressful.
At these facilities, employees move a variety of packages, from microwave ovens to toilet paper packages to furniture and clothing, from shelves and entry areas to packaging stations where they are loaded onto trucks for delivery to customers. I spend my days shipping .
This has started the movement to unionize some facilities, but only the Amazon Center, known as JFK8 on Staten Island, has been unionized so far.
Workers at Shodak’s fulfillment centers, known as ALB1, voted 406 to 206 against joining the union in October.
Amazon union vice president Derrick Palmer praised the new law and said it encouraged employees who wanted to join the union.
“This shows that you can and will protect your fellow essential workers,” Palmer said.
Teamsters Joint Council 16 President Thomas Gesualdi said:
Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said the company has no fixed quotas.
“Instead, we evaluate performance based on safe and achievable expectations, taking into account time and tenure, peer performance, and adherence to safe work practices,” she said.
“We know we are not perfect, but we are committed to continuous improvement when it comes to communicating with our employees, listening to them, and giving them the resources they need to succeed. is.”
The company also allows employees to take short breaks at any time to use the restroom, get water and snacks, get away from screens, and talk to colleagues, managers, HR, etc.
The passage of the law is the second piece of good news Teamsters has received in recent weeks.
Similarly, 11,000 retired teamsters (mostly truck drivers) learned last month that previous pension cuts were being reversed with funds from President Joe Biden’s America bailout plan signed last year. rice field.
rkarlin@timesunion.com • 518-454-5758 • @RickKarlinTU
