Last month, when delivery workers spoke out against the city’s minimum pay rule, something that was overlooked was how these impacts spread to other essential workforces that keep our city running. I recently had an opportunity to meet with City Council members and make my case to them on what these rules mean for everyday Bronx families.
For years I have wanted to join the New York Police Department, and admire how the NYPD reflects the values of my community in the Bronx. Delivery work had long been helping me earn extra money so I can pursue that dream. But because of the new rules, delivery workers like me have to work longer hours and have lost this flexibility that meant so much.
The minimum pay rate may have been intended to help, but it’s made life harder for delivery workers and impacted my ability to work toward a future where I can serve the city in another essential way. I hope these Council members now understand what it’s really like for delivery workers like us.