It’s a good time to work in New York City, as Mayor Eric Adams has just announced a huge increase in the minimum wage. Here’s the full story.
Mayor Eric Adams Makes Historic Minimum Wage Announcement
On Tuesday, April 2nd, Eric Adams announced a historic change to the minimum wage that is set to benefit thousands of gig workers.
Significant Pay Increase for App-Based Restaurant Delivery Workers
Standing alongside workers from the New York Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), Adams announced that all app-based restaurant delivery workers will now earn $19.56 per hour before tips.
Impactful Change
This new wage will go into effect by April 1st, 2025, and is being phased in with two scheduled pay increases. It’s well over New York City’s minimum wage and will be adjusted for inflation come April 2025.
Progressive Initiative
New York made history as the first nation to offer minimum pay for delivery workers in June 2023, at $17.96. This new wage is an almost 9% pay bump – essentially $1.50 an hour.
Addressing Delivery Issues
In announcing the news, Adams stated, “Our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us, and today we are delivering for them.”
City-Wide Efforts
This pay rise will improve the lives of 60,000 delivery workers in the city and is part of a broader effort by New York to address delivery issues since e-bikes became legal in 2020.
Regulating Efforts
That, coupled with a surge in app-based delivery services over the pandemic, created a surge in delivery workers, which the city is trying to regulate.
Supporting Delivery Workers
Adams has recently announced city-wide charging stations for e-bikes and the creation of the Department of Sustainable Delivery to regulate them, as well as trucks, scooters, and mopeds.
Street Deliveristas Hubs
The city is also in the process of creating “Street Deliveristas Hubs,” which will provide a rest stop for delivery workers, shelter from bad weather, and charging stations for electric bikes and cell phones.
Challenges and Pushback
Adams planned to revamp disused newsstands and other preexisting infrastructure to house these hubs, although local residents have expressed some resistance to this plan.
Dramatic Increase from Previous Earnings
Before the June 2023 pay rise, delivery workers were earning, on average, $5.39 an hour. At the time, Adams said, “That’s unimaginable. This is crumbs compared to the endless buffet of profits delivery apps made.”
Positive Outcomes for Delivery Workers
After the DCWP began enforcing the new minimum wage, apps have had to collectively pay delivery workers over $16 million extra per week.
The Success of Minimum Pay Rate
“The minimum pay rate has been enormously successful in raising wages for our city’s delivery workers and providing them greater means to support themselves and their families,” said the DCWP commissioner.
Enforcement Measures
The DCWP requires delivery apps like Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Doordash to provide them with monthly reports containing stats about workers and deliveries made to ensure they comply with the new measures.
Are There Really No Negative Impacts?
While opponents of the minimum wage were worried that it would negatively impact customers, restaurants, and companies, the Mayor’s Office has confirmed that there have been no negative impacts so far.
Legal Battles and Court Rulings
Delivery apps, however, are not advocates for the minimum wage. In July 2023, they sued New York City to prevent them from implementing the new pay rate.
However, the New York Supreme Court ruled in favor of the city.
Efforts to Undermine Minimum Wage
This hasn’t stopped apps from fighting back, however. According to delivery workers, apps have begun hiding the button that lets customers leave a tip and have been more active in deactivating workers’ accounts.
“Stop the Games”
In response, Adams said, “Listen, we know the games that are being played to take away the tips. But we’re saying, ‘Let’s stop those games.”
Consequences for Restaurants
Some restaurants have also complained about the new wages for delivery workers. They claim they’ve seen fewer orders as customers react to higher prices in the apps.
Response from DCWP
This is a claim that DCWP commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga refuted, stating, “It’s working out. The workers are making more money as they should at a dignified pay rate, the restaurants are not seeing less deliveries, and consumers are not spending money money.”
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The post NYC Delivery Workers Get Major Wage Boost to $19.56 first appeared on From Frugal to Free.
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The content of this article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or replace professional financial advice.
