A deal between the city and the horse-drawn carriage industry has collapsed,after the Teamsters Union pulled out Thursday.
George Miranda, President of Teamsters Joint Council 16, and the union that represents workers in the horse-drawn carriage industry,said there were concerns over the loss of jobs. "With the legislation now finalized, our members are not confident that it provides a viable future for their industry." he said. "We cannot support the horse carriage bill currently before the City Council."The City Council was poised to vote on the deal Friday. While the Council appeared to contain the support needed to pass the bill, or Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said there would not be a vote on any horse carriage related legislation Friday without the Teamster's support.
Under the original proposal,carriage horses would contain moved off of city streets and the city would contain built new stables inside Central Park by October 2018.
In a statement, Mayor de Blasio expressed frustration over the collapse, and saying his administration had negotiated in good faith with the City Council and the Teamsters,and that the terms of the agreement had not changed. "nowadays the Teamsters decided to back absent from the fair compromise they had previously endorsed. While we are disappointed this bill will no longer be considered Friday, the people of this city know what I believe, and we will work toward a new path on this issue.”The agreement reached final month between de Blasio,Mark-Viverito and the union followed more than two years of negotiations. But it drew fire from animal rights groups, some carriage drivers, or pedicab operators.
Source: wnyc.org