Wednesday’s Headlines: Delivery Worker Victory Edition
You can thank Mayor Mamdani, but you could also thank Streetsblog reporter Sophia Lebowitz, for yesterday’s announcement of that DoorDash will pay $115 million to workers that the company underpaid after the city’s minimum law went into effect.
The money will pay back 264,000 delivery workers from whom the company withheld wages, as Streetsblog has been reporting for months. The company will also pay $16 million to the city in civil penalties. (The Times got the handout, but the Daily News, Gothamist, The City Reporter, the Guardian, Fox News, the Post, and even DoorDash covered it.)
The payout represents the largest worker-protection enforcement action in city history, and comes after an earlier settlement with UberEats, HungryPanda, and Fantuan for violations of the minimum pay law. But it’s not only a victory for workers, but for safety. Workers often cite the apps’ opaque algorithms that determine bonuses and schedules as incentive to ride more recklessly and take safety risks. Streetsblog’s Lebowitz asked Mamdani on Tuesday whether he links these pay settlements to the broader fight to protect workers.
“[The settlements] are all part of how we can protect workers because we know that it is delivery workers who spend the most amount of hours on our streets,” he said. “And we want to make sure that not only are delivery workers being paid for the work that they do, not only are we holding companies accountable to the law here in our city, but also that delivery workers are safe when they are using our streets.”
The latest settlement is also likely satisfying to the mayor for another reason: DoorDash contributed $1 million to boost Andrew Cuomo in his twice-unsuccessful quest to become mayor.
In other news:
- Janno Lieber rattled his labor negotiation saber. (amNY)
- Only in America: A Norwegian rollerblader skating across the country was killed by a driver in Kansas. (NY Post)
- In the run-up to the Council’s Sept. 30 e-bike hearing (aka Super Bowl Wednesday), the amNY editorial board is making hay.
- The Post had more details about Monday’s wrong-way hit and run fatality in the Bronx.
- Two Council members are concerned that the Second Avenue subway won’t be great for Harlem. (amNY)
- This hyperbolically written West Side Rag story could have been boiled down to one sentence: the city is installing signage on the 96th Street bus lane.
- The free Staten Island Ferry is costing the city more, due to declining ridership. So don’t let Vito Fossella tell you city taxpayers don’t do anything for Staten Island. (Advance)
- Just what we need — more cars in parks. (Oh, but they’re electric!) (QNS)
- Turnabout is fair play — except there’s nothing wrong with the Sanitation Department’s “shame sticker” program … unless you’re a selfish driver. (NY Post)
- We’re paying $10 for a single Citi Bike e-bike ride, but in the Big Smoke, Santander Cycles is offering unlimited 10-pound-a-month rides. (London Now)
- Friend of Streetsblog Mike Lydon loves bike lane infill:
- The Institute for Public Architecture is hosting a screening of the documentary, “The Story of the BQE” on Oct. 6 at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Click here to see in a single image why this is must-see TV.
- If that’s not enough, check out this subway-themed photo show. (Curbed)
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
