The Transport Workers Union Local 100 is rallying pedicab drivers to oppose a city plan that would prevent them from operating south of 85th Street in Central Park, a key area for their business. This initiative is part of a broader deal aimed at restricting the horse carriage industry to Central Park. TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan as detrimental to pedicab drivers and disconnected from the welfare of horses, which was the purported aim of the restrictions. The union is providing organizational and legal support to the pedicab drivers, emphasizing the need for a unified voice and industry representation in discussions about their future. Mayor de Blasio, while defending the compromise on carriage horses, has expressed willingness to work with pedicab drivers to ensure their continued prosperity, stating that the restriction applies to only a part of Central Park and does not necessarily result in job losses. A meeting hosted by TWU Local 100 in Brooklyn is set to precede a critical City Council vote on the proposal.
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