Amazon workers, NY Labor Chairs call for action on TEMP Act and worker safety amid federal rollbacks

For Immediate Release: May 14, 2025
Media Contact: Lisa Thomas, 347-415-6431, lisa@alignny.org
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Workers, State Labor Chairs Call for Action on Worker Safety
Amid Federal Rollbacks


Unions & advocates held a press conference in support of temperature, workplace violence,
and warehouse protections — part of Worker Safety Week

TEMP Act passes Senate Labor Committee

Albany, NY — Today, elected officials, union leaders, workers, and advocates rallied at the State Capitol, calling on Governor Hochul to make worker safety a priority as the White House rolls back worker protections across the board. Speakers included Senate & Assembly Labor Chairs Sen. Jessica Ramos and Assm. Harry Bronson, Amazon workers Michael Lebron (JFK8 Vice Steward of ALU-IBT Local 1) and Jeffrey Arias (Teamsters Local 804 Amazon driver), Stan Koniszewski of Teamsters 294 in Albany, NYCOSH Executive Director Charlene Obernauer, and ALIGN Executive Director Theodore A. Moore.

Earlier in the day, the Temperature Extreme Mitigation Program (TEMP) Act (S3412/A3527), which would create heat standards protecting more than 2 million NY workers in a warming climate, successfully passed through the New York State Senate Labor Committee, marking a significant step forward for worker protections in extreme temperatures.

The coalition is calling for action on:

    • The passage of the TEMP Act (S3412/A3527)
    • The full implementation of the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act (S5081/A8907), signed into law last year to protect Amazon workers by mandating safety evaluations and improved training, safety standards, and medical care. The coalition awaits word from the Department of Labor on rules and worker education ahead of the June 1 implementation date. 
    • Strengthening the NYS Workplace Violence Prevention Law (S7658/A8223) with better reporting, training, and enforcement 
    • The full implementation of the Retail Worker Safety Act (S8358B / A8947C), to protect retail workers with better documentation, training, and violence prevention plans. 
  • More information below

The press conference was part of Worker Safety Week, the second annual week of action bringing attention to urgent safety crises across New York State and calling on state leadership to deliver safe, healthy, and sustainable workplaces for every New Yorker. Workers and elected officials shared stories of preventable worker injuries, heat hazards, and deaths that can be fixed by the passage and full implementation of these policies. Amazon Labor Union President Connor Spence also shared that the union is working on a safety bill of rights, collecting elected officials’ signatures on a letter to Amazon demanding dignity and safety in the workplace. 

“If we want to talk about dignity, we have to talk about worker safety. That’s why I’m proud to stand with organizations like ALIGN and NYCOSH during Worker Safety Week and proud to sponsor the TEMP Act. No one should collapse from heat on the job or be boiled alive in a work van. This bill sets real, enforceable protections against extreme heat because safety isn’t a perk. It’s a basic right,” said State Senator Jessica Ramos.

“Every worker deserves to be treated fairly, which must include mandating workplace standards that eliminate exposure to dangerous working conditions that cause damage to their mental and physical health. As Labor Chair, my priority will always be ensuring that all job sites enact safety measures that put the health of our workers above profits, and with worker rights under attack at the federal level, it is more important than ever that New York stand strong in their support for worker protections. That’s why I am fighting to pass the Temperature Extreme Mitigation Program, or T.E.M.P. Act and strengthen the Workplace Violence Prevention Law,” said Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson.

“This is our second annual Worker Safety Week, and we’re going to keep showing up until every worker is safe,” said Theodore A. Moore, ALIGN Executive Director and leader of the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition. “In 2024, the Governor signed the Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act and the Retail Worker Safety Act, and those laws go into effect next month. We need strong rules and worker education that puts workers’ safety first, and we need state leaders to continue prioritizing preventable injury and death by passing the TEMP Act and strengthening the Workplace Violence Prevention Law, because no worker should have to risk their life or health to earn a living.”

“With the passage of the TEMP Act through the Senate Labor Committee today, we’re one step closer to protecting the nearly 2 million New York workers who face dangerous heat conditions on the job,” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of NYCOSH and founder of the TEMP Coalition. “As climate change intensifies and federal protections are being rolled back, New York must lead the way in creating safe workplaces. Heat-related injuries and deaths are preventable with proper standards in place, and we’re calling on our state leadership to make this legislation a priority.”

“Every day in our public school kitchens, Local 372 School Lunch Workers provide services to not only our children, but also to the surrounding local communities throughout the school year, and into the sweltering days of summer. However, as they perform these vital services, there are no protections or standards adhered to in order to protect their well being against the extreme heat that they constantly endure, as they ensure that all have access to balanced and nutritional meals. School Lunch Workers have long worked in hot school kitchens with inadequate air conditioning or ventilation, and are often forced to withstand hazardous temperatures that exceed 130°F, exposing them to potential harm with no remediations. The importance in passing the NYS TEMP Act is crucial, now more than ever, with OSHA no longer being able to provide viable solutions under the current Administration. Passing the NYS TEMP Act this session will guarantee that workers, regardless of where they work, will not be subjected to heat-related illnesses and injuries that can severely and permanently impact their well-being and livelihood,” said Donald Nesbit, Executive Vice President, DC 37 Local 372.

“Summers inside the warehouse are brutal. One night, a coworker of mine started feeling light-headed and asked for a quick break just to sit down. Amazon management said no. She ended up passing out from dehydration and heat stress, right at her pack station… This isn’t a one-time incident, it’s a pattern. Amazon pushes us to keep working in dangerous heat, and when we speak up, we’re ignored. That’s why we need the TEMP Act passed: to make sure there are real rules in place to protect workers from heat stress before someone ends up seriously hurt, or worse,” said Michael Lebron, JFK8 Vice Steward, Amazon Labor Union-IBT Local 1.

“On those hot summer days, the back of my Amazon van feels like a microwave,” said Jeffrey Arias, an Amazon driver and member of Teamsters Local 804. “It is hard to breathe and I start feeling dizzy, like I’m going to pass out. But Amazon prioritizes getting the packages delivered over our safety. We are organizing to hold this company accountable and we need our legislators to stand with us. Pass the TEMP Bill now.”

Background:

Temperature Extreme Mitigation Program or TEMP bill (S3412/A3527)

  • On days over 90°F, workers’ risk of injury increases by 29% and heat-related illnesses increase by121%. NY has warmed ~3°F since 1900, and days over 90°F will rise dramatically.
  • The TEMP bill creates workplace safety standards protecting nearly 2 million NY workers from heat-related hazards in the fields of agriculture, building service work, construction, landscaping, car wash services, commercial shipping and logistics, food service, transport service, and warehousing.
  • Requires access to hydration, 10 minutes of rest in the cold, access to shade, PPE provided by the employer, and for vehicles and indoor workplaces to provide A/C. Employers will need an extreme temperature plan, worker acclimatization, education and training, and multilingual signage and materials. The bill also mandates whistleblower protections.
  • The requirements of the TEMP Act are highly effective in reducing heat-related fatalities, injuries, and subsequent workers’ compensation claims, while also improving worker productivity.

Warehouse Worker Injury Reduction Act (S5081/A8907)

  • Signed into law in 2024, WWIRA goes into effect June 1, 2025. 
  • 1 in 9 NY warehouse workers are injured annually and NY’s warehouse worker injury rate is 54% higher than the national average. Amazon workers are injured at an even higher rate — 37% more often than workers at non-Amazon facilities. 
  • Act requires annual safety evaluations of large warehouses for potential risks, establishes industry-wide safety standards, improves training and medical care, and empowers the DOL to implement and enforce. 

Strengthening the NYS Workplace Violence Prevention Law (S7658/A8223)

  • In 2006, New York State enacted the workplace violence prevention law requiring public employers to develop and implement programs to prevent and minimize workplace violence and help ensure the safety of public employees. However, despite existing employee protection laws, workplace violence remains a serious and growing issue in New York, and a lack of enforcement provisions allows employers to circumvent requirements and avoid accountability.
  • This bill would introduce stronger safety protocols including expanded training, incident logging, and risk evaluation, and ensuring employer accountability with timed reporting and inspection requirements. 

Retail Worker Safety Act (S8358B / A8947C)

  • Signed into law in 2024; goes into effect June 4, 2025.
  • Retail workers are subject to constant threats of violence and verbal harassment, but receive virtually no training in violence prevention, de-escalation tactics, or escape procedures, and few if any employers have a plan to reduce the risk of violence. 
  • Act requires employers to create a safe work environment by evaluating hazards, providing training, documenting incidents, and developing violence prevention programs. 

About the TEMP Bill coalition

The TEMP Bill Coalition, formed in 2022 by the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), is a coalition of unions and worker organizations advocating for extreme temperature protection in New York State. Coalition members include 32BJ, DC37, La Colmena, New Immigrant Community Empowerment, the New York State Teamsters, Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), RWDSU Local 338, and Worker Justice Center.

About New Yorkers for a Fair Economy

New Yorkers for a Fair Economy (NYFE) is a coalition of labor unions, small businesses, and immigrant and community organizations uniting to safeguard our state from the abusive practices of big corporations and achieve an economy that works for all New Yorkers. NYFE is led by ALIGN (Alliance for a Greater New York) and includes labor unions Teamsters Joint Council 16 and Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union; community groups like New York Communities for Change and New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH); and research and advocacy organizations like National Employment Law Project (NELP) and Strategic Organizing Center, among others. 

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