Union Urges Governor Hochul Sign Bill to
Keep Warehouse Workers Safe
ALBANY, N.Y.,
June 7,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York State Legislature passed new
legislation today, championed by the New
York State Conference of Teamsters, requiring Amazon and
other major warehouse operators to design their facilities to put
worker safety first. The Teamsters and allies in the New Yorkers
for a Fair Economy coalition are calling on Governor
Kathy Hochul to sign the bill into law.
"The Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act makes New York a national leader in taking on the
Amazon injury crisis," said Thomas
Quackenbush, President of Teamsters Joint Council 18.
"Workers are suffering preventable injuries because employers like
Amazon are putting their profits ahead of safety. This legislation
will force companies to change their warehouse design and practices
to prioritize workers."
"New York has the highest
warehouse injury rates in the nation, and that doesn't count the
injuries that go unreported," said Jeff
Brylski, President of Teamsters Joint Council 46. "Too
often, workers at Amazon and other major warehouse companies are
told to take an ibuprofen and get back to work, when what they
really need is to be seen by a doctor. The Warehouse Worker Injury
Reduction Act will ensure that workers have access to qualified
medical professionals and can be safe on the job."
"The Teamsters thank Senator Ramos, Assemblymember Bronson, and
legislative leaders for guiding this groundbreaking bill through
the legislative process," said Thomas
Gesualdi, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16. "It is on
the verge of becoming law today because warehouse workers mobilized
to demand the strongest protections in their industry. We urge
Governor Hochul to take this crisis seriously and sign the
Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act into law as soon as
possible."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto
Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow
us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at
Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Kara Deniz,
(202) 497-6610
kdeniz@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters