Disappointed and upset they say they feel like food delivery workers in the Big Apple, after a city decision that cuts four dollars from a salary proposal made by Mayor Eric Adams last November.
“A disappointment, because it is clear that we do everything possible to work,” said the delivery man Paulino Tipaz.
The mayor’s office and the Worker Protection department had “promised” nearly $24 an hour, but in a twist that caught people like Paulino Tipaz by surprise, they would receive about $18 starting in 2023.
Adams should have made the announcement on February 15, complying with a local law enacted in 2021 that required an hourly minimum wage for workers using apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats.
“What I think is that it is better not to say anything. That they do not make any progress, simply that they do their job,” added Tipaz.
As if that weren’t enough, food delivery people would have to wait two years to see an increase in what they earn again. In 2025 it would increase to 19.96, almost three times what they earn now, plus inflation adjustments.
The change, according to the city, is due to drivers using multiple delivery apps at once.
“What they say is true, because we work with certain applications that generate more than a minimum wage,” said Ray Barrera.
It is estimated that the more than 65,000 food delivery workers in New York currently earn about $11.12 an hour including tips and after costs.
It is not enough to support themselves and their families, they allege.
Activists and elected officials accused the city of bending to the will of big business.
On April 7, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection will hold another hearing where food delivery workers will have the opportunity to once again express their frustration.
