Step up on carriage horses

To the editor:

Transport Workers Union Local 100 is in the news once again with Tony Utano stepping down as president after only one year on the job. I wish him well. I am more concerned with the odd arrangement the TWU has with NYC's horse carriage drivers — "members" of TWU Local 100.  It is a mix of owners and non-owners and not everyone is required to join.  

In a typical union, the union negotiates with owners for salary and benefits for its employees.  There are contracts. This cannot happen here because the rates for carriage rides are set by local law incorporated into the Administrative Code. There are no benefits since carriage drivers are not city employees.  

A recent poll showed that 71 percent of New Yorkers support a ban of horse-drawn carriages.  The Committee for Compassionate & Responsible Tourism presented the Union with the opportunity to transition from horse carriages to electric carriages — a venture that could make the drivers more income as it did in Guadalajara and potentially expand real union membership.   But there was zero interest. They also claimed the owners each make $100,000 yearly, which I and others find hard to believe because other than the year-end holiday season, they do not appear to have much business.  

What is going on here? Most in the City Council look the other way even after Ryder, the emaciated, elderly, sick carriage horse, collapsed on Ninth Avenue last summer and soon died. 

In these times of George Santos and that other, orange guy, one would hope that both unions and legislators are on their best, most ethical behavior to maintain public trust.

Elizabeth Forel

Forel is the co-founder of Compassionate & Responsible Tourism and the president of the Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc.