The Teamsters and other unions are organizing a rally in Los Angeles on Friday to support a bill that would grant cities and counties authority over robotaxi operations.
Several labor unions, including the Teamsters, are preparing to challenge Waymo’s plan to expand its autonomous vehicle service in California.
The Teamsters, along with three other labor groups, will hold a rally on Friday at Los Angeles City Hall to advocate for stricter regulations on driverless cars, which they argue could jeopardize jobs for professional drivers. They are pushing for a bill in the California Legislature that would empower cities and counties to regulate or even block autonomous car services like Waymo’s.
Waymo, which has been operating autonomous vehicle fleets in San Francisco and Phoenix, recently announced its intention to expand into parts of greater Los Angeles and suburban areas south of San Francisco. The company, which separated from Google in 2016, claims it has over 50,000 people on its Los Angeles waitlist for free test rides.
The service operates similarly to ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft, but with self-driving vehicles and no human drivers. Waymo staff are available for remote assistance if needed.
Lindsay Dougherty, the Teamsters’ vice president for the western region, expressed in an interview that automation in driving poses a significant long-term threat to union jobs, including truck driving and package delivery. The Teamsters represent drivers at companies like UPS.
“This is a serious concern not just for workers in general but especially for the Teamsters, who represent drivers,” she said. “Our members’ greatest fear is losing these jobs.”
Dougherty also expressed skepticism about the safety of Waymo’s service, noting that she has not personally ridden in one and would not do so without a human driver as a backup.
“Any vehicle can be dangerous,” she said. “It’s a machine that has the potential to harm both drivers and pedestrians. I don’t have faith in the technology.”
Self-driving cars have been involved in notable accidents, including a 2018 incident where a self-driving Uber with a backup driver hit and killed a pedestrian in Arizona. Tesla’s Autopilot system has been linked to 17 deaths, according to a report by The Washington Post.
Waymo contends that its safety record surpasses that of human drivers, citing no traffic fatalities and only minor injuries, typically caused by other drivers rear-ending its vehicles. Federal data shows traffic deaths caused by human drivers were at a high of over 42,000 in 2022.
Waymo’s cars are generally noted for their adherence to traffic laws, including obeying speed limits and using turn signals, based on journalist reviews from San Francisco.
Waymo did not immediately respond to comments about the labor opposition. The company previously stated its commitment to a safety-focused deployment approach and looks forward to engaging with the public and officials in Los Angeles.
The Teamsters had previously backed legislation to mandate human drivers for semi-autonomous trucks, but Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed it, deeming it unnecessary for safety.
The upcoming rally in Los Angeles will feature representatives from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, California Professional Firefighters, and the California Labor Federation.
While some unions have supported autonomous taxis, such as Cruise’s agreements with local unions in San Francisco, California later revoked Cruise’s permits over a disclosure issue related to a pedestrian collision.
Waymo must secure state regulatory approval before expanding its services in California and starting to charge for rides. Although local approval isn’t required, the Teamsters and others support legislation to change this.
State Senator Dave Cortese is sponsoring a bill to grant cities and counties regulatory authority over autonomous vehicle services. He argues that local entities, which already oversee taxi services, should not be excluded from the process.
Cortese, who has not ridden in a Waymo vehicle, shares Dougherty’s concerns about safety and believes that reliance on self-reporting from companies is inadequate.
He compared the situation to early automotive industry practices, stressing that oversight is necessary and not in line with the majority sentiment of his constituents.
