[Editor’s note: The name of the organization opposing New York’s horse-drawn carriages was corrected, per the comment below.]
The fight over horse-drawn carriages in New York City is heating up.
On the one side, a group calling itself the Coalition to Ban
Horse-Drawn Carriages is trying to ban the “inhumane, unsafe and anachronistic horse-drawn carriages in New York City.”
On the other side stands the Teamsters—the union that actually got its name from driving teams of horses.
Although New York’s new left-wing mayor’s position has “evolved” into leaning toward a ban, thanks to some well-placed campaign contributions, the Teamsters haven’t given up on him yet.
On Wednesday, with the backing of the New York Daily News, the Teamsters and supporters delivered 40,000 signatures to Mayor de Blasio on the footsteps of City Hall.
via the New York Daily News:
The message to Mayor de Blasio was loud, clear and over 40,000-strong at City Hall today – “Save Our Horses.”
Three months after the Daily News kicked off its campaign to stop de Blasio’s proposed ban on the horse-drawn carriages, over 100 supporters rallied on de Blasio’s door step to drop off five bags of signed petitions supporting the industry.
The bags, which were hand-delivered to de Blasio’s office by drivers, contained some 40,000 signatures from Daily News readers begging the mayor to back off the ban.
The mayor was in City Hall, but sent a staffer out to pick up the bulging bags.
According to opponents of horse-drawn carriages, the Teamsters are “politically-connected”
The drivers are not only concerned but they want it their way or no way at all.
The inhumane and unsafe conditions had come to the attention of the public years ago, but nothing could be done because of their political connections. It was only a matter of time for the political climate to change and all the previous protections would no longer be there. Now things are different, but the drivers are not willing to accept the reality.
The drivers and their PR firm have schemed to put out exaggerations about their business to make it seem like it existed longer, more people would be affected, the horses are considered family, they have real union jobs and our campaign is all about a stable land grab.
Although a small fight by union standards, it appears the warring factions aren’t horsing around.
Several problems with your article:
First off – We are known as the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages – -we started this campaign in 2006 – but it is something many of us have been working on for years.
Message to Teamsters: Working teams of horses back in the day is absolutely nothing to be proud of. Horses were left to die on the street when they could not work anymore. I call your attention to an article I wrote Horse of a Different Color – or the many articles by historian Joel Tarr
http://etsyforanimals.blogspot.com/2014/07/a-horse-of-different-color-carriage.html
http://banhdc.org/archives/ch-hist-19711000.html
I never said that the Teamsters were politically connected although you do act like bullies and considering your checkered history, you should consider polishing up your image. In 2010, there was a council hearing on one of the bills and the message went out to the Teamsters to flood the hearing room. By the time we came, the room was packed with non contributors taking up space – big burly Teamsters with big bulky bomber jackets – Intimidating? Hardly – but ridiculous – very much so. “Hey buddy – you mind moving down a bit and stop taking up 3 seats? Thank you. Much appreciated. Do you even know why you are here? No? I didn’t think so. ”
No it is the drivers who have always been politically connected from Mayor William O’Dwyer down to Peter Vallone – so please don’t be coy.
Oh – BTW – the 40,000 signatures is a joke, right? The readership of the Daily News (their numbers) + your membership means that the 40K is only .002% of their readership + your membership. I would not be very proud of that if I were you.
Our petitions were 10 times our readership – direct and indirect.
We are not anti-union – anything but. The unions built the middle class. But what you are doing with the drivers is not a real union. Not everyone belongs – it is not a union shop. You do not provide benefits other than the bully pulpit. Owners and workers are in the same local and there are no benefits. Why are they more important than all the many other people who have lost their jobs. Besides it is a cash only business and highly doubtful they contribute much to the tax base of NYC. It is disingenuous. The electric cars are not going to happen – we all know it – too expensive. But the retrofitted carriages may. Same medallion system – everything stays like it was – sans horses. Why don’t you support this?
I also hear that you think you can put the horses in the park. Absurd. Doing it right would require 1 acre per horse for turnout – something they do not get now – and take up about ¼ of the park. But mostly it is because park land is an inalienable right. No private industry can take this land from the people.
What happens if you succeed in bringing deBlasio to his knees and he gets to be known as a flip flopper and is not reelected? You will be responsible. And the next mayor – like Bloomberg may not be sympathetic. If that happens, you should all be voted out of office with the next union election because what you are doing now is irresponsible to your real union members who do participate in collective bargaining.
Please have some compassion for these horses and move into the 21st century. The trade is not iconic – that is simply a contrived word you have been using over and over again.
Elizabeth Forel
President / Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages