(The Center Square) — A proposal by the New York City Council to bar online retailers from hiring third-party companies is facing pushback from groups that say it would hurt employers, eliminate jobs and drive up costs for consumers. 

In a letter to council members, the New York Delivers Coalition urged them to "consider the real world ramifications" that the proposed "Delivery Protection Act" will have on the small, family-owned business community that powers New York’s last-mile delivery ecosystem." 

"Last-mile delivery supports thousands of New Yorkers, including parents, caregivers, immigrants, veterans, and workers without four-year college degrees, by providing dignity, stability, and a pathway to economic mobility," they wrote. 

The proposal, filed by Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, would require operators of "last-mile" warehouses and storage facilities to get licenses from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection and meet new safety, training and employment requirements, among other changes. 

"For too long, companies like Amazon have operated in our city like it’s the Wild West, ignoring workers’ rights, putting our communities in danger, and acting with impunity," Cabán, a Queens Democrat, said in a statement. 

But the coalition said its members support "safe workplaces, strong worker protections, and responsible business practices" but argued that can be done "without sacrificing thousands of jobs, forcing small businesses to close, or disrupting the delivery network that serves millions of New Yorkers every day." 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani threw his support behind the initiative on Monday, saying in a statement that it would "rein in the power of corporate delivery giants like Amazon, hold them accountable for their exploitative business model and make New York City’s streets safer for workers, drivers and pedestrians." 

"New Yorkers should not be forced to subsidize corporate profits with less safe streets and more precarious jobs," the democratic socialist said. "The people who make these companies run deserve dignity, stability and a safe workplace." 

Amazon, which relies on more than 40 third-party delivery companies in New York City that employ more than 5,000 people, has said those jobs would be at risk if the legislation is approved. 

"It would also compel us to seriously examine how we could still meet our commitment to New Yorkers — which includes the potential for relocating operations and delivery facilities outside of New York City," the retail giant said in testimony opposing the bill. 

"We're trying to prevent that by working collaboratively with the City Council, and we've invited every member to visit our delivery stations and meet with these partners and their employees before voting on legislation that could eliminate their businesses and displace thousands of New Yorkers from their jobs," the company added. 

The changes could end up costing New York City households an additional $664 a year to get their goods, according to a study by the consulting firm AKRF, which was commissioned by a group representing local chambers of commerce. 

"Carriers warn that on-time performance will suffer," the report's authors wrote. "Customers may wait longer on average for their orders and it will become harder to meet tight delivery windows like overnight or same day service in many areas."