Teamsters Convention Celebrates Horse Carriage Drivers
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters celebrated the Central Park horse carriage drivers at the union’s 29th International Convention today.
Demos Demopoulos, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 553, which represents workers in New York’s iconic horse carriage industry, spoke about the local’s campaign to save the industry. “The first Teamsters moved everything in horse drawn wagons,” said Demopoulos. “In New York, the Teamsters have come back to these roots and I am proud to say that the men and women who drive the famous horse carriages of Central Park are members of Teamsters Local 553.”
Those workers have seen the power of the Teamsters Union in recent years. New York City’s mayor came into office promising to ban horse-drawn carriages on his first day. Everyone thought this industry was toast.
“The only thing that was standing between these workers and the unemployment line was their Teamsters union,” Demopoulos told the convention.
Horse carriage driver Stephen Malone thanked his Teamster brothers for their support.
“We were supposed to be gone by now,” said Malone. “Thank God I am a Teamster!”
Two years later, the ban is dead and the horse carriage Teamsters are as strong as ever. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters will continue standing behind these working men and women.