Policy and Politics

SB 915 Will Protect Good Jobs, Public Safety from Dangerous Autonomous Trucks and Cars

April 18, 2024
News and Press, Policy and Politics, Press Releases, Teamster News

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – California Senate Bill 915 (SB 915), a Teamsters-supported bill that will allow the state’s local governments to regulate autonomous vehicles (AVs), passed overwhelmingly today in the State Senate Local Government Committee.

“The Teamsters commend the Senators on the Local Government Committee who supported this bill to protect public safety and good union jobs,” said Chris Griswold, Teamsters International Vice President At-Large and President of Teamsters Joint Council 42. “Right now, local communities have zero control over the dangerous autonomous vehicles on their roads. SB 915 will help fix this broken system and keep our communities safe by giving municipalities a voice in the deployment of AVs.”

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TEAMSTERS, LABOR COALITION SECURE NEW SAN FRANCISCO REGULATIONS FOR WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT

April 17, 2024
In the Media, News and Press, Policy and Politics, Press Releases, Teamster News

(SAN FRANCISCO) – Teamsters, along with a coalition of local building trades, the Sierra Club, San Francisco Labor Council, and community groups, have secured a landmark policy requiring public review of any new warehouse proposal by e-commerce companies like Amazon in San Francisco. 

The first-of-its-kind policy is the most significant action taken by a U.S. city to address the rapid expansion of warehouses and last-mile delivery operations that have a direct and significant impact on jobs, air pollution, and traffic.

“San Francisco is a union town, and along with our coalition partners and the elected officials that stood with us, the leaders of Teamsters local unions in San Francisco led the way in passing this landmark legislation,” said Peter Finn, President of Teamsters Joint Council 7. “Their work will make a real difference in ensuring companies like Amazon can’t profit from exploiting workers and our local communities.” 

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March 2024 City & County Election Endorsements

January 26, 2024
March 2024 Endorsements, Policy and Politics

Below are our Teamsters Joint Council 7 endorsements for the March 5, 2024, Primary Election. Each candidate has gone through an extensive vetting process with each impacted Local in their respective jurisdiction or has a proven track record of standing with the Teamsters. We do not base our endorsements on party, but rather those who have the same pro-worker beliefs as we do and will advocate for Teamsters workers on a federal, state, and local level.

… Read more »

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If we’re David & Big Tech is Goliath, we can win with our slingshots & stones

January 25, 2024
Policy and Politics, Political Director's Report

 

‘Tis the season to keep fighting. As you are all aware, Gov. Gavin Newsom showed his true colors with a late Friday night veto of AB 316, our proposed legislation that Autonomous Vehicles weighing more than 10,000 have a human safety operator. Are we angry and disappointed? Of course we are! But that just means we’ll fight even harder to ensure that we keep our streets safe and protect good freight driving jobs.

… Read more »

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It’s not the political party that matters — it’s how they show up for WORKERS

October 18, 2023
Policy and Politics, Political Director's Report

The summer has come and gone, and we are moving full throttle ahead in Joint Council 7. We’ve started our endorsement process, and I’m proud, excited, and everything in between over how much enthusiasm and ownership each of our Locals have shown in making sure we have a voice in the political arena. These early relationships pay off in big ways for us in paving our future. We need to elect and support candidates that support workers,

… Read more »

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Teamsters Slam Cruise CEO for Plan to Eliminate Human Operator Jobs

August 3, 2023
News and Press, Policy and Politics, Press Releases, Teamster News

The Teamsters are condemning Kyle Vogt, CEO of autonomous vehicle (AV) company Cruise, for openly planning to displace drivers during an investor call last week. Vogt made the statement in response to a question from an analyst at an investment banking firm. The analyst asked about Cruise’s plans for expansion should a proposed policy change favoring the AV industry take effect in San Francisco.

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Drivers testify about autonomous vehicles

February 1, 2023
Local 150, Local 2785, Local 315, Local 439, Sacramento Report, Teamster News

Drivers testified to the DMV at a January 27 hearing about their on-the-road concerns about the introduction of Autonomous Trucks without human drivers. Powerful stuff. This is not only about safety on the road for Teamster drivers and the driving public, it’s also about the future of good driving jobs in this country. Thanks to Assembly Member Cecilia Curry-Aguiar and Tom Lackey for introducing AB316; this bill will ensure that all vehicles over 10,000 pounds have a human operator.… Read more »

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Working for the Teamsters has been an honor …

December 23, 2022
Political Director's Report

After 17 years with Joint Council 7, this is my last column as your political director. It has been an immense honor to work with our union.

Starting as an organizer

I was first hired into the Teamsters in 2006. Under the direction of our then Joint Council President, I ran the organizing campaign with misclassified truck drivers at the Port of Oakland. At the campaign’s peak, we put 5,000 people on the streets of downtown Oakland.

… Read more »

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Teamster political power wins fair pay for workers

October 19, 2022
Political Director's Report

Every year, local, state, and federal government agencies give out billions of dollars to corporations through procurement contracts, tax credits, subsidies, grants, and more. These are our tax dollars “at work.” This raises two questions: does it work for us? And if not, what can we do?

Sadly, the answer to the first question is “not enough.”  However, the answer to the second question is “we can do a lot.”

For decades,

… Read more »

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