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Debate on economic pressures and enforcement for delivery workers

1:09:22

ยท

72 sec

Assistant Commissioner Rick Rodriguez and Council Member De La Rosa discuss differing views on the reasons for unsafe behavior among delivery workers and the role of enforcement.

  • Rodriguez emphasizes upstream factors, particularly economic pressures from apps that incentivize speed over safety
  • De La Rosa argues that the lack of consequences is the primary reason for unsafe behavior
  • The Council Member suggests that education should come first, followed by accountability and enforcement when education fails
  • De La Rosa acknowledges the need to balance enforcement with the realities of working-class communities
  • The discussion highlights the complexity of addressing safety concerns while supporting essential workers
Rick Rodriguez
1:09:22
I think that's a really good point.
1:09:24
I think one of the things that we've been thinking about is actually going upstream into what makes people do that behavior.
1:09:30
We don't disagree that, when people violate the law that there needs to be accountability to that.
1:09:36
But we've also been thinking why is it that people go about and do those actions?
1:09:40
And a lot of it has to do with the forces, economic forces that APPs are putting delivery workers under.
1:09:46
And so, you know, right now the emphasis is on, speed.
1:09:50
The incentive is on speed.
1:09:52
We'd like the emphasis to be inverted and be about safety.
1:09:54
And that's what a lot of our ideas that we are sending around later today, and in the conversation with that, the with the council already are centering safety.
Carmen De La Rosa
1:10:03
I think it's because the stakes are low and they can get away with it.
1:10:07
So I think we disagree on why it happens.
1:10:09
I mean, if, you know, if you if you know you're not gonna get a ticket or you're not gonna get caught for going really fast on a sidewalk, then you're gonna continue to do that behavior.
1:10:18
And so, you know, I think that it's a conversation to have granted.
1:10:21
I represent a a a working class community.
1:10:23
I'm not here advocating for more tickets for our community, but I think that, you know, we have education.
1:10:28
And when that fails, then we need to have the conversation around accountability and enforcement.
1:10:33
But I thank you for your efforts.
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