News and Press

Teamsters fight back against dangerous driverless vehicles on multiple fronts

After Newsom turns his back on workers and vetoes AB 316, Teamsters take protests to San Francisco, Los Angeles

SAN FRANCISCO – Teamsters, labor leaders, and public safety officials rallied on Oct. 24, 2023, outside the San Francisco headquarters of Cruise, an autonomous vehicle (AV) company operating so-called “robotaxis” in San Francisco, to demand more safety oversight of robotaxi operations just hours before Cruise pulled its entire fleet of driverless cars from public roads.

Speakers at the October rally,

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TEAMSTERS TO DMV: Too Little, Too Late

Step in the Right Direction Not a Substitute for Human Operators

(SAN FRANCISCO) – the following is a statement from Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 856, regarding the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles’ decision to suspend the autonomous vehicle company Cruise’s license to operate in the City of San Francisco. The announcement comes hours after the Teamsters and their allies held a rally to demand better regulation for driverless cars outside of the company’s headquarters.

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Teamsters and Allies Protest Unsafe Robotaxis at Cruise Headquarters 

Teamsters Stand Up for Safety, Call for an End to Driverless Car Havoc on San Francisco Streets 

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif – The Teamsters, labor leaders, public safety officials, and concerned citizens held a rally today outside of Cruise’s headquarters in San Francisco to highlight ongoing safety concerns with Cruise robotaxis. The rally occurred as Cruise’s parent company, General Motors, released its Q3 2023 earnings report, revealing that Cruise has cost the company $1.9 billion so far this year.

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Teamsters to Newsom: Start Working for Working People, Not Wall Street

Back-to-Back Anti-Labor Vetoes by California Governor Hurt Workers, Unions

SACRAMENTO – The Teamsters condemn the latest actions by California Gov. Gavin Newsom after he vetoed Senate Bill 799 over the weekend of Sept. 30. The legislation would have extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits to union members who are on strike or being locked out by their employer.

The Governor’s Saturday veto represents the second pro-worker bill he has rejected in the past 15 days,

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Teamsters applaud CA Senate for passing autonomous vehicle bill, demand Gov. Newsom sign it

Teamster-supported legislation that would require a trained human operator in autonomous vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds overwhelmingly passed the California Senate today with strong bipartisan support. California Assembly Bill 316 (AB 316), first introduced in January by Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), and Ash Kalra (D-San Jose), received votes in favor from all but four state senators. It now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom. 

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Teamsters Condemn CPUC for Expansion of Robotaxis in San Francisco, Undemocratic Process Catering to Big Tech

“The CPUC’s ruling is irresponsible and shows a complete disregard for public safety. In addition to ignoring the City’s nearly 70 reported safety incidents involving robotaxis this past year, it has completely bypassed the recommendations of public safety officials, including the San Francisco Fire Chief and Police Officers Association. This undemocratic process caters to executives at Waymo and Cruise – not San Francisco residents.”

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