Teamsters and Allies Unveil Critical Report on Amazon's WARN Act Violations in New York State
On August 18, 2026, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, accompanied by the National Employment Law Project (NELP), the Action Lab, and the Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN), released a crucial report exposing Amazon's significant violations of the New York State Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. This alarming revelation places Amazon at the forefront of companies neglecting legal responsibilities in the state, particularly in the logistics sector, and highlights a pattern of labor malpractices.
The Teamsters union simultaneously filed a formal complaint with the New York Department of Labor, requesting an investigation into Amazon's tight grip on its third-party contractors, referred to as Delivery Service Partners (DSPs). These DSPs often act as shells, allowing Amazon to evade the legal obligations it has toward its workforce. Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division, voiced strong criticisms against Amazon's leadership, asserting that the company systematically disregards labor laws. "This is yet another reason why Amazon is a parasitic white-collar crime syndicate," he declared, emphasizing the potential for legal repercussions.
The impact of Amazon's practices is particularly dire; since 2018, the company has reportedly closed 35 DSPs in New York, resulting in the loss of more than 3,500 jobs. This accounts for a staggering 25 percent of all layoffs in the transportation and warehousing industry statewide since 2023. Disturbingly, many Amazon drivers failed to receive the legally mandated advance notice of layoffs, and the company may owe up to $11 million in back wages to affected workers.
Maria Degante, a former employee at one of Amazon's shuttered DSPs, shared her personal struggles resulting from these practices. "I worked for two DSPs that Amazon closed without enough notice or severance, leaving me and my family stranded," she explained. Degante, alongside her former colleagues, is actively organizing efforts to demand that Amazon fulfills its financial obligations while advocating for the passage of the Delivery Protection Act in the New York City Council to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The proposed Delivery Protection Act seeks to dismantle the subcontracting structure Amazon currently employs, compelling the company to directly hire its drivers. Tom Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, vocally criticized Amazon's self-portrayal as a 'job creator', underscoring the report’s findings that depict the company as a job destroyer in reality. Gesualdi assured that the Teamsters, supported by their allies, would actively work against Amazon's harmful practices affecting workers and communities alike.
Paul Sonn, State Policy Program Director at NELP, reinforced the urgency of the situation by revealing that Amazon’s operations illustrate the abuse of DSPs, which are not genuine independent businesses but rather extensions of Amazon's corporate strategy. He stressed the importance of the Delivery Protection Act to enforce accountability on the corporation.
Further emphasizing these concerns, ALIGN Campaigns Director Daisy Chung remarked on the exploitation of workers, stating, "Amazon uses and abuses workers, then throws them away. And guess what? The DSPs Amazon claims to protect are no less vulnerable." The implications of the report indicate deep-rooted issues within Amazon that disproportionately affect workers in the logistics and transportation sectors.
Finally, Irene Tung, Director of Program and Policy at the Action Lab, summarized the situation well: "This new data shows that Amazon is disproportionately behind sudden, permanent closures in the transportation and warehousing sector in New York — and it's happening again and again." As the investigation progresses, the push for legislative reform like the Delivery Protection Act remains a beacon of hope for many workers struggling against the large-scale corporate practices of Amazon. The Teamsters continue their campaign for justice, standing firm against a juggernaut they claim places profits above people at every turn. Founded over a century ago, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million individuals across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, advocating for their rights and livelihood amid growing corporate influence in labor markets.
The Teamsters union simultaneously filed a formal complaint with the New York Department of Labor, requesting an investigation into Amazon's tight grip on its third-party contractors, referred to as Delivery Service Partners (DSPs). These DSPs often act as shells, allowing Amazon to evade the legal obligations it has toward its workforce. Randy Korgan, Director of the Teamsters Amazon Division, voiced strong criticisms against Amazon's leadership, asserting that the company systematically disregards labor laws. "This is yet another reason why Amazon is a parasitic white-collar crime syndicate," he declared, emphasizing the potential for legal repercussions.
The impact of Amazon's practices is particularly dire; since 2018, the company has reportedly closed 35 DSPs in New York, resulting in the loss of more than 3,500 jobs. This accounts for a staggering 25 percent of all layoffs in the transportation and warehousing industry statewide since 2023. Disturbingly, many Amazon drivers failed to receive the legally mandated advance notice of layoffs, and the company may owe up to $11 million in back wages to affected workers.
Maria Degante, a former employee at one of Amazon's shuttered DSPs, shared her personal struggles resulting from these practices. "I worked for two DSPs that Amazon closed without enough notice or severance, leaving me and my family stranded," she explained. Degante, alongside her former colleagues, is actively organizing efforts to demand that Amazon fulfills its financial obligations while advocating for the passage of the Delivery Protection Act in the New York City Council to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The proposed Delivery Protection Act seeks to dismantle the subcontracting structure Amazon currently employs, compelling the company to directly hire its drivers. Tom Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, vocally criticized Amazon's self-portrayal as a 'job creator', underscoring the report’s findings that depict the company as a job destroyer in reality. Gesualdi assured that the Teamsters, supported by their allies, would actively work against Amazon's harmful practices affecting workers and communities alike.
Paul Sonn, State Policy Program Director at NELP, reinforced the urgency of the situation by revealing that Amazon’s operations illustrate the abuse of DSPs, which are not genuine independent businesses but rather extensions of Amazon's corporate strategy. He stressed the importance of the Delivery Protection Act to enforce accountability on the corporation.
Further emphasizing these concerns, ALIGN Campaigns Director Daisy Chung remarked on the exploitation of workers, stating, "Amazon uses and abuses workers, then throws them away. And guess what? The DSPs Amazon claims to protect are no less vulnerable." The implications of the report indicate deep-rooted issues within Amazon that disproportionately affect workers in the logistics and transportation sectors.
Finally, Irene Tung, Director of Program and Policy at the Action Lab, summarized the situation well: "This new data shows that Amazon is disproportionately behind sudden, permanent closures in the transportation and warehousing sector in New York — and it's happening again and again." As the investigation progresses, the push for legislative reform like the Delivery Protection Act remains a beacon of hope for many workers struggling against the large-scale corporate practices of Amazon. The Teamsters continue their campaign for justice, standing firm against a juggernaut they claim places profits above people at every turn. Founded over a century ago, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million individuals across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, advocating for their rights and livelihood amid growing corporate influence in labor markets.
Topics Policy & Public Interest）
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