New York Pedicab Services Blog & News

The Teamsters Union’s compromise with the administration last weekend has sparked further anxiety among pedicab drivers, who feel sidelined by a deal that secures jobs for displaced horse carriage workers but overlooks the pedicab industry. Even horse carriage drivers and animal rights activists are expressing opposition to the bill, citing concerns over job losses and the ethical treatment of both industries. With the potential for significant impacts on individuals and families reliant on these jobs, there is a growing call for reconsideration of the proposal and more inclusive discussions involving all affected parties. The mayor defends the plan, highlighting the tourism growth that fuels the pedicab industry, yet critics argue that the ban from key areas will devastate the sector.

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Pedicab Drivers Fear de Blasio’s Plan Will Leave Them Jobless

Transport Workers Union Local 100, traditionally representing subway and bus workers, is extending support to pedicab drivers who are facing displacement due to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed changes to Central Park regulations. The mayor’s plan, part of a compromise to reduce horse carriage numbers and relocate them within Central Park, also restricts pedicabs to the park’s northern area, away from the tourist-heavy southern end. John Samuelsen, president of the union, has criticized the move as unfairly targeting a vulnerable workforce, and the union is now offering organizational, legal, and logistical support to the pedicab operators.

Despite de Blasio’s defense of the proposal as a safety and congestion measure and his assurances of willingness to engage with the pedicab industry, operators claim they have been excluded from discussions. The plan has faced opposition from various quarters, including lawmakers, park administrators, and the pedicab drivers themselves, who argue that relocating them will significantly impact their business and livelihoods. In response, pedicab drivers, with the backing of TWU Local 100, are rallying and reaching out to council members to oppose the legislation ahead of an upcoming City Council vote.

For more information:

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/01/union-lends-vulnerable-pedicab-drivers-a-hand-030702

The Union, specifically TWU Local 100, has publicly declared its opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan which poses a significant threat to the jobs of many pedicab drivers in Central Park, a significant number of whom are immigrants from Senegal and Sierra Leone. This plan, aiming to ban pedicabs from operating below 86th Street in Central Park and to reduce the number of horse-drawn carriages, is criticized as an attack on the working poor, rather than a measure for animal welfare as proposed. TWU Local 100 is mobilizing to support these pedicab drivers by offering organizational support, training, legal advice, and other forms of assistance, with activities including meetings and a large gathering at the Union’s headquarters. Local 100 President John Samuelsen has condemned the mayor’s plan as anti-worker, anti-immigrant, and a means to satisfy campaign donors at the expense of vulnerable workers’ livelihoods. The union’s commitment represents a significant backing for the pedicab drivers, providing them with a powerful voice in their fight against the proposed changes.

For more information:

https://www.twulocal100.org/story/union-stands-pedicab-drivers-against-new-mayoral-plan

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 100 has allied with New York City’s pedicab drivers in their opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal, which aims to restrict pedicabs from operating in the most profitable areas of Central Park, below 85th Street. This plan, part of a broader initiative to reduce the number of carriage horses and confine them to Central Park, has been criticized by TWU Local 100 President John Samuelsen as elitist and contradictory to the mayor’s proclaimed progressive values. Samuelsen accuses de Blasio of sacrificing the jobs of vulnerable workers, including many immigrants, to favor his campaign contributors. The union, representing 42,000 transit workers, offers legal assistance, office space, and moral support to the pedicab drivers, who have felt marginalized in the discussions leading to the agreement with the Teamsters union, representing carriage drivers.

Pedicab drivers, feeling overlooked and undervalued by the city’s administration, welcome TWU’s support. They express frustration over the mayor’s lack of engagement and the proposed restrictions, which they believe will severely impact their livelihoods. Despite Mayor de Blasio’s assurances of willingness to collaborate with pedicab drivers and his claims that there remains ample business for them in other parts of the city, the pedicab community and their new union ally are preparing to fight the proposed changes. The City Council vote on this contentious plan is anticipated to take place next Friday.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2016/01/29/transit-union-backs-pedicabbies-in-central-park-battle-with-city/

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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Transit workers union encourages pedicab drivers to organize against proposed Central Park ban

Critics argue that the bill is flawed, raising several concerns about the use of public funds (estimated at $25 million) to benefit a private business, the impact on human homelessness amid a housing crisis, and the potential job losses for small business owners, carriage drivers, and pedicab operators. The latter are especially affected, as the bill would restrict their access to lucrative areas of Central Park. Additionally, the exclusion of the Central Park Conservancy from discussions and the lack of clarity on the future of the reduced industry and displaced individuals have further fueled opposition.

Opponents view the bill not as a necessary policy but as a political maneuver to satisfy de Blasio’s campaign donors and real estate interests eyeing the valuable West Side property where the current stables are located. The City Council is urged to reject this bill, seen as detrimental to the carriage-horse industry, pedicab drivers, and the broader community, without solving any existing problems.

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TWU Local 100, the largest transport workers union in the country, is rallying in support of pedicab drivers threatened by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to ban pedicabs from the most lucrative areas of Central Park, south of 86th Street. The mayor’s proposal also seeks to reduce the number of horse-drawn carriages and relocate their stables from the West Side. Local 100 President John Samuelsen criticized the plan, dismissing it as not genuinely concerned with animal welfare but rather as a move that harms vulnerable, often immigrant, workers to benefit the mayor’s campaign donors. The union has pledged to help pedicab drivers by organizing them, providing training, legal advice, and other forms of assistance, marking a significant step in giving these workers a voice and strong backing against the proposed changes.

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Friday Odds & Ends Jan. 29, 2016

Ibrahim Barrie, a pedicab driver and immigrant from Sierra Leone, is seeking a dialogue with Mayor Bill de Blasio as the City Council is about to vote on a bill that could significantly impact his livelihood. The proposed bill, part of de Blasio’s plan, aims to reorganize the horse carriage industry within Central Park, establish a new stable for the horses, and restrict pedicab operations to the park’s northern end above 85th Street. This restriction has sparked protests from the pedicab community, predominantly consisting of immigrants, who argue that the mayor’s proposal will push them out of business by limiting their access to the more tourist-frequented lower parts of Central Park.

Barrie and over a hundred pedicab drivers have rallied at City Hall, demanding to be included in discussions about the proposal, which they believe was made without adequate consideration of its impact on their industry. The Department of Parks and Recreation claims the rule aims to create balance within the overcrowded park, but pedicab drivers fear it will end their operations by excluding them from their main business area. An alternative suggestion from the pedicab community involves negotiating a compromise that allows them to operate between 59th to 77th Street, preserving their access to tourists and ensuring their survival. Despite these concerns, Mayor de Blasio’s office has not directly addressed the pedicab drivers’ requests, stating only that an adjustment was needed for balance.

For more information:

https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/city-hall/story/2016/01/pedicabs-not-yet-hopeless-plead-with-de-blasio-for-seat-at-the-table-030668

City Council members raise concerns with de Blasio’s preliminary budget

The New York City Council is scrutinizing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s $82.1 billion preliminary budget, highlighting concerns over gaps in funding, particularly for libraries, the Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), and youth programs. Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras-Copeland pointed out the need for full funding for libraries and expressed alarm over the financial state of HHC, which is set to receive a one-time $337 million to aid its restructuring. The Council is also pushing for more investment in youth programs, contrasting with the administration’s proposal to cut a $24 million summer program for youth. Councilman Jumaane Williams emphasized the importance of youth programs in preventing gun violence, expressing disappointment in the budget’s lack of sufficient funding for such initiatives.

The preliminary budget lacks new significant spending initiatives seen in de Blasio’s earlier terms, like universal prekindergarten, with City Councilman Daniel Garodnick noting that a functional and responsible budget need not be grandiose. Amidst these discussions, controversy looms over a potential $25 million expense for relocating carriage horse stables to Central Park, a plan also involving restrictions on horse carriages and pedicabs. This plan, intended to fulfill a campaign promise by de Blasio, has drawn criticism from various stakeholders, including animal rights activists, the Teamsters, pedicab operators, and park goers, leading to frustration among City Council members over the administration’s handling of the issue. City Councilman David Greenfield criticized the compromise as a “lose-lose-lose” situation that leaves no party satisfied and raises concerns about the use of public parkland for private interests.

For more information:

https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2016/01/city-council-members-raise-concerns-with-de-blasios-preliminary-budget/180383/

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s long-standing quest to overhaul the Central Park carriage-horse industry highlights several of his administration’s weaknesses, including a disregard for facts, contempt for taxpayer funds, and subservience to special interests. Despite initially promising to ban the industry, de Blasio now proposes reducing the number of horses and relocating them within Central Park, coupled with banning pedicabs from the park’s lower areas. This plan faced significant scrutiny during a City Council hearing, where administration officials failed to provide concrete answers to basic questions about the necessity and logistics of the proposal, including traffic safety concerns and the cost of constructing new stables in the park.

Critics argue that the mayor’s plan lacks factual basis, particularly regarding the safety of horses and potential conflicts between horses and pedicabs, and question the significant expenditure of potentially $25 million on a stable. This expenditure, viewed as serving special interests rather than the public, reflects a pattern of decision-making influenced by campaign donations rather than evidence or public benefit. The controversy surrounding the carriage-horse bill is emblematic of broader concerns about de Blasio’s governance, including issues with homelessness statistics and prioritization of donor interests over those of various city stakeholders.

The article suggests that de Blasio’s electoral security, despite these controversies, stems from voters’ focus on immediate personal concerns rather than broader governance issues. As the City Council prepares to vote on the carriage-horse proposal, it remains to be seen whether council members will align with the mayor’s plan or heed the criticisms of its opponents.

For more information:

https://nypost.com/2016/01/25/the-carriage-horse-fight-exposes-all-of-de-blasios-weaknesses/