Page 22 - The Indian EYE 041224

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline APRIL 12, 2024 | The Indian Eye 22

Mayor Adams Announces First Annual

Increase In Minimum Pay Rate For App-Based

Restaurant Delivery Workers

Minimum Hourly Rate Is Now $19.56 and Will Be Adjusted Annually for Inflation

OUR BUREAU

NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric Ad-
ams and New York City De-
Npartment of Consumer and
Worker Protection (DCWP) Com-
missioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today
announced that, effective immedi-
ately, the city’s minimum pay rate for
app-based restaurant delivery work-
ers is increasing to at least $19.56 per
hour before tips. The $19.56 rate re-
flects the 2024 phase-in rate of $18.96
and an inflation adjustment of 3.15
percent — up from an average of just
$5.39 per hour before enforcement
began. When the rate is fully phased-
in on April 1, 2025, workers will earn
at least $19.96 per hour with an ad-
justment for inflation. Since DCWP
began enforcing the minimum pay
rate in December 2023, apps have
paid the city’s delivery workers $16.3
million more per week across the
workforce — an increase of 165 per-
cent — totaling an additional $847.6
million annually. Torres-Springer. “Thank you, Mayor and thousands of public comments. discussions with stakeholders on all
“Our delivery workers have con- Adams and Commissioner Mayuga, In early July, the major delivery apps sides, and publicly available data.
sistently delivered for us — and to- for ensuring that some of our city’s sued the city, seeking to stop the min- This minimum pay rate is just one
day the city is delivering for them,” hardest workers are earning a more imum pay rate from taking effect. In part of the city’s holistic approach to
said Mayor Adams. “I was raised by livable wage.” September, the New York State Su- improving working conditions for
a working mother who supported my “With the full range of flavors preme Court ruled in the city’s favor, delivery workers. In his 2024 State
five siblings and me, and there are New York City has to offer at their allowing enforcement of the mini- of the City address, Mayor Adams
thousands of delivery workers doing fingertips, New Yorkers get instan- mum pay rate of $17.96 to begin. The announced plans to create the New
the same to support themselves and taneous room service at all hours — apps appealed the State Supreme York City Department of Sustainable
their families. And while wages have and people who make that happen Court’s ruling, and in late November, Delivery, a first-in-the-nation regula-
not kept up with the rising cost of liv- have high-risk, high-difficulty jobs. the Appellate Division, First Judicial tory entity to establish clear goals and
ing, since the new pay rate has been With this pay raise, we acknowledge Department denied the appeals, pav- guidelines for the future of delivery.
enforced, delivery workers have al- their contributions to our city and ing the way for DCWP to finally be- In February 2024, Mayor Adams and
ready seen a 165 percent increase in continue to make their working life gin enforcing the minimum pay rate. the New York City Department of
their pay per week. This is what it looks more manageable,” said Deputy In September 2021, the New Transportation announced five pub-
like to stand with working-class New Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. York City Council passed Local Law lic e-battery charging locations as
Yorkers and build a fairer economy.” “With thanks to DCWP, we look 115, requiring DCWP to study the part of the city’s new, six-month pilot

“Today’s scheduled pay increase forward to continuing this progress, pay and working conditions of app- program to test safe, public charging
means we are delivering on our using data to make their workplaces based restaurant delivery workers of lithium-ion batteries by an ini-
promises to the more than 60,000 — the streets — some of the safest in and to establish a minimum pay rate tial group of 100 delivery workers.
app-based delivery workers in our city the nation for delivery.” for their work based on the study re- The Adams administration has also
and ensuring they get compensated In June 2023, the Adams adminis- sults. DCWP published its study in launched a program for the first-of-
in accordance with the nation’s first tration announced the final minimum 2022, which drew from data obtained its-kind street Deliveristas Hubs, uti-
minimum pay rate law,” said Dep- pay rule, effective July 12, 2023, fol- from restaurant delivery apps, sur- lizing existing infrastructure to pro-
uty Mayor for Housing, Economic lowing a monthslong rulemaking pro- veys distributed to delivery workers vide a place for workers to rest and
Development, and Workforce Maria cess that included two public hearings and restaurants, testimony, extensive recharge.

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