By Kimmy Yam and Nicole Acevedo - NBC News
On Wednesday afternoon, as many New York residents sheltered from the dangerous orange haze blanketing the city, a Chinese immigrant delivering food in South Brooklyn had to work 10 hours on the streets despite the air conditions.
"If you go outside for long periods of time, you feel like you're having a hard time breathing. It starts to hurt," said the repatidor, who requested anonymity out of fear, in Mandarin. "It's like cigarette smoke. The more you're outside, the more your throat hurts."
The Brooklyn-based delivery driver, 38, is one of countless Brooklyn delivery workers who have had to remain on the streets defying New York's deteriorating air quality, described as the worst in the world this week, due to persistent smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada.
Despite warnings from authorities, many delivery drivers said they could not afford to miss a day's work, particularly since there is currently no minimum wage for those operating as independent contractors.
Many New York delivery drivers said they couldn't afford to miss a day of work. Getty Images
Harmful air conditions continued Thursday, with officials advising all vulnerable people to stay indoors, close doors and windows and use air purifiers. Residents were also advised to limit time outdoors and wear special masks: N95 or KN95.
But workers have continued to make their deliveries on bicycles, motorcycles, scooters and other vehicles where they are in direct contact with the outdoors.
Antonio Solis, 36, a delivery driver who is part of the Deliveristas Unidos collective, said that for many others like him, taking days off means not being able to pay rent and bills on time and risking not having money to send back to their families in their home countries.
"We don't have that option," Solis said. Other delivery drivers like him hope that the inclement air will motivate customers to leave tips.
This is how the capital of the country has lost its summer colors because of the smoke from the fires
June 8, 202301:33
Solis said it usually takes extremely bad weather for customers to have that level of generosity. "What I've learned in all this time is that you have to deal with bad weather so that there are more orders or more tips," he said. "We only get good tips when it's raining, snowy or other bad weather."
Popular apps like Uber and DoorDash did not respond to a request for comment from NBC News. A Grubhub spokesperson said in a statement that during this crisis in the New York City area, the company will not penalize those who don't feel safe and opt out of taking orders.
GrubHub, which also owns Seamless, another home delivery app, noted that employees can order free protection kits through the company's website. DoorDash also offers free masks through its website. And Uber reimburses its drivers for masks and sanitizers.
"Deliveristas are on the front lines," said Ligia Guallpa, director of the Workers Justice Project, an organization that advocates for better working conditions for low-wage immigrant workers. "They are facing an emergency by being the people who deliver not only food, but also masks, medicine, essentials to keep New Yorkers safe in their homes, while risking their lives."
The dark orange color no longer stains the New York sky, but the smoke continues to wreak havoc
June 8, 202301:38
Guallpa explained that most of the 65,000 couriers who work through apps in the city are immigrants from South and East Asia, Latin America and Africa who end up as couriers due to easy accessibility. But because delivery drivers are considered independent contractors, they are excluded from labor protections and exempt from minimum wage requirements.
Workers earn an average of $14.18 per hour before deducting expenses, and that comes from app payments and tips, according to the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
While many delivery drivers celebrated the passage of city protections for delivery drivers in 2021, Guallpa said Mayor Eric Adams' administration missed a January deadline to implement the rule. The city has submitted new proposals, but to this day there is no minimum wage requirement.
"Adams' administration is in the process of finalizing a rule that will ensure delivery drivers receive a fair rate. We look forward to announcing that rule in the near future," a City Hall spokesperson said.
"We see a city that has actually ignored the urgency and need to implement the minimum wage. It's been six months now," Guallpa said. "Because this is the slowest season, people are forced to be on the streets hoping to receive more orders for delivery and more tips."
Huang Mu Wang, who delivers in Brooklyn through apps, said he also sees delivery drivers as a fundamental part of the city's ecosystem. And while others are working, there is a need for delivery drivers to be on the streets, he said, as "people need to eat."
Huang Mu WangNBC News
But they too have not been able to ignore the health risks, Huang said. As the sky darkened and turned orange Wednesday afternoon, his eyes became irritated and the streets became increasingly difficult to navigate. Some of his peers, he said, had concerns about possible accidents due to poor visibility.
"Of course I was scared," Huang said in Mandarin. "All of New York was fearful and hardly anyone was on the street."
However, workers who spoke to NBC News said their app delivery companies did not give them masks or any other protective gear. Most had to buy their own masks, they said. Health guidance has also been poor.
Solis and other delivery drivers gave away N95 masks to delivery drivers in Astoria, Queens. They had planned to go out on Thursday to give away more. Other couriers have also opted for protective eyewear.
"As independent contractors, many of them are responsible not only for doing this work at their own risk, but also for finding their own work instruments, including to take care of their health and safety," Guallpa said. "If they get sick, they wouldn't be able to access health insurance or hold their company accountable. If they refuse to work the hours that are scheduled, their accounts will most likely be deactivated, which is retaliation."
With poor air conditions continuing throughout the week, Solis said he is hopeful others will better understand his plight. "We hope people will see what we went through so we can deliver hot food and medicine," he said. "Sometimes we make an extraordinary effort."