The laws comes amid the nationwide strike of Amazon staff
Picture by Ramy Mahmoud
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Union and neighborhood organizations from the New Yorkers for a Honest Financial system coalition got a motive to have fun after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the Warehouse Employee Harm Discount Act into regulation on Sunday, Dec. 22.
The laws will go into impact on June 1, 2025, to cut back warehouse accidents in New York, the place one in 9 staff is harm on the job yearly. The 2023 Bureau of Labor Statistics information revealed that this was greater than double the nationwide common.
The signing comes throughout the grueling vacation buying season and as Amazon staff at a number of services in New York Metropolis are placing for honest pay, secure work, job safety, and extra.
The coalition behind the invoice, which incorporates ALIGN, Teamsters, Nationwide Employment Regulation Venture (NELP), and the Retail, Wholesale and Division Retailer Union (RWDSU), lately launched new information exhibiting a 30% enhance in accidents in a single 12 months, making warehouse work among the many most harmful jobs in New York.
Simply final week, a federal Senate investigation revealed that inner Amazon security groups linked the company’s arduous tempo of labor and repetitive motions to severe accidents but took no significant corrective motion.
“With the potential appointment of a former Amazon Executive heading towards the federal Department of Labor, we must shore up worker protections in New York State. After passing the Warehouse Worker Protection Act, Amazon still increased its warehouse footprint and business operations in New York, demonstrating that we do not need to sacrifice a worker’s health and safety for profit,” mentioned Senator Jessica Ramos, chair of the Senate Labor Committee.
Ramos represents District 13, which covers the Queens neighborhoods of Corona, Elmhurst, East Elmhurst, and Jackson Heights.
In June, the Meeting unanimously handed the Act which handed the Senate by a vote of 52 to five. Sponsored by Ramos and Meeting Member Harry Bronson, the laws will set up industry-wide security requirements, require annual security evaluations of enormous warehouses for hazards and assign fixes, enhance coaching and medical care, and empower the Division of Labor to implement and implement the regulation.
Along with maintaining staff secure and holding corporations like Amazon accountable for job security, the invoice will scale back employer turnover and ease the burden on the state’s healthcare and staff’ compensation methods.
“The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act being signed into law represents a significant victory for warehouse workers and their right to safety on the job. This victory couldn’t have come at a better time as we head into an uncertain future for America’s workforce. As Labor Chair, my priority will always be ensuring that warehouses and all job sites enact safety measures that put the health of our workers above profits,” added Bronson, who represents the 138th Meeting District and higher New York State.
The laws comes as lots of of Amazon warehouse staff and drivers walked off the job and joined the picket line exterior the large DBK4 Amazon success middle in Maspeth earlier this month.
The Worldwide Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) launched the biggest strike ever towards the $2 trillion company in New York Metropolis, Atlanta, Southern California, San Francisco, and Illinois, with staff from different Amazon services additionally becoming a member of the strike.
“With Amazon workers on strike and federal labor rights at risk, it’s the right time for New York to take action to protect warehouse workers. Thanks to Governor Hochul, our sponsor champions, and our tenacious coalition — signing the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act into law is a huge victory for workers and shows companies like Amazon that our state will not stand for anything less than safety on the job. Let this be the start of our journey to go from #1 in warehouse injuries to #1 in safety!” acknowledged Theodore A. Moore, Government Director of ALIGN and chief of the New Yorkers for a Honest Financial system coalition.
They’re protesting unfair labor practices after the IBT set a Dec. 15 deadline for Amazon to start negotiations on a brand new settlement, which was ignored.
“The Teamsters have a long history of fighting for good jobs in the warehouse industry. As Amazon Teamsters continue that fight on the picket line, the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act makes New York a national leader in standing up to Amazon’s abusive practices. Thanks to Governor Hochul, Senator Ramos, and Assembly Member Bronson for taking action to protect warehouse workers,” added Thomas Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16.
