The Central Labor Council (CLC), representing 300 unions and 1.3 million workers, is supporting the Transport Workers Union Local 100 against Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to limit pedicab operations in Central Park. This stance places the CLC in opposition to Teamsters Joint Council 16, which supports de Blasio’s proposal to reduce the horse carriage industry and move it into Central Park while banning pedicabs from the park’s southern, tourist-heavy areas. The conflict highlights a division within the labor community, as both the TWU and Teamsters presidents serve as vice presidents on the CLC’s executive board.
The CLC has been actively lobbying City Council members to oppose the bill, citing job losses in both the pedicab and horse carriage industries. This last-minute lobbying effort has reportedly caused confusion and resentment among some council members. Vincent Alvarez, president of the CLC, has a history of opposing legislation that threatens the horse carriage industry, emphasizing the importance of protecting workers’ livelihoods.
The pedicab drivers, fearing the loss of their industry, have been organizing with the TWU’s help to protest de Blasio’s proposal. TWU’s president has written to City Council members, describing the bill as anti-worker and anti-immigrant, and emphasizing the pedicab drivers’ role in tourism.
Despite the growing opposition, a spokesperson for Mayor de Blasio stated that the administration remains committed to the proposal, expressing confidence in reaching an agreement with the Teamsters and the Council Speaker. The situation underscores the complexity of balancing labor interests, tourism, and animal welfare in the debate over the future of Central Park’s horse carriages and pedicabs.
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