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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 07, 2026 | The Indian Eye 18

Mayor Mamdani Delivers

More Than $100 Million for

Delivery Workers Since January

New report shows workers are on pace to earn $184 million more in tips annually following

aggressive City enforcement against deceptive Big Tech app practices

NEERAJ DHAR

NEW YORK, NY
ayor Zohran Kwame Mam-
dani and New York City
MDepartment of Consum-
er and Worker Protection (DCWP)
Commissioner Samuel A.A. Levine
have released a new report showing
the City’s crackdown on deceptive tip-
ping practices by app-based delivery
platforms has secured an estimated
$104 million in additional tips for de-
livery workers since January.
Since the City began enforcing
new tipping protections on January
26, 2026, tips have doubled, and the
city’s approximately 70,000 app-based
delivery workers are on pace to earn
an additional $184 million annually in
tips, or about $2,287 more each year
for the average worker.
“For years, delivery apps buried I don’t just mean OG Anunoby’s game Guallpa, Executive Director of Work- law to restore tipping at checkout. The
the tip button to pad their own bot- winner at the Garden. The data is clear: er’s Justice Project and Co-Founder apps sued us over it, the judges said we
tom line, and delivery workers paid allowing consumers the clear ability of its Los Deliveristas Unidos orga- were right, and the deliveristas won
the price,” said Mayor Mamdani. “We to tip hardworking deliveristas bene- nizing campaign. “Today’s announce- big. $104 million in earnings going
changed the law, enforced it, and it’s fits our workers and strengthens our ment is proof that organized workers back into their pockets since the law
working: $104 million has gone back economy,” said DCWP Commissioner can overcome even the most power- went into effect in January is money
into the pockets of the workers who Samuel A.A. Levine. “I said it when ful corporations when government that helps them put food on their own
keep this city fed, rain or shine. New DCWP blew the whistle on delivery chooses to stand with working people. tables. None of this is possible with-
York will not allow billion-dollar tech apps’ design tricks in January, and I’ll We are grateful to Mayor Mamdani, out DCWP’s continued enforcement,
companies to boost their profits by say it again: under Mayor Mamdani, Commissioner Levine, and the entire and we will continue to fight alongside
taking money from working people.” the biggest corporations in the world DCWP team for showing that work- them and the deliveristas until they
“When a customer leaves a tip, will no longer be able to rake in record ers’ rights don’t end when legislation get every cent they’ve earned.”
that money belongs to the delivery profits on the backs of New Yorkers.” is passed – they become real only “When mega corporations imple-
worker, not to the app,” said Deputy The report highlights the impact through strong enforcement. This vic- mented design tricks to cheat workers
Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. of the Mamdani administration’s ef- tory is about far more than tips. It’s out of an average of $5,800 a year,
“It belongs to the worker who carried forts to enforce New York City’s De- about demonstrating that New York the Council took action and the data
our food up four flights of stairs or livery Worker Laws and curb industry will not allow corporations to profit by shows the local laws that became ef-
biked through the rain to make sure practices that reduced delivery work- undermining the rights of the people fective earlier this year are working,”
dinner arrived at your door. Since ers’ earnings by an estimated $550 who keep this city running.” said Councilmember Harvey Epstein,
January, delivery workers across New million in tips. It also demonstrates “When we passed the minimum Chair of the Consumer and Worker
York City have earned $104 million that stronger worker protections can pay guarantee for deliveristas in 2023, Protection Committee. “These tipping
more because we made these compa- increase earnings while maintaining the apps responded by hiding the tip fairness laws don’t just protect work-
nies play by the rules. We’re not done. consumer demand for food delivery. option from their customers,” said ers—they strengthen our local econ-
We’ll keep enforcing this law and keep “Delivery workers fought for Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “That omy by putting money back in New
going after any platform that tries to years to win fair pay, only to watch app cost deliveristas over half a billion dol- Yorkers’ pockets, so they can spend
shortchange its workers.” companies find new ways to take mon- lars in earnings. We refused to let that it in our communities. When workers
“New York is a city that tips—and ey out of workers’ pockets,” said Ligia stand, and I was proud to sponsor the are prospering our city thrives.”

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