Teamsters, California Labor Federation, Lawmakers Announce New Autonomous Vehicle Legislation

Assembly Monthly bill 316 Safeguards Public Safety, Union Work

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – Currently, Teamsters Joint Council 7, Teamsters Joint Council 42, and the California Labor Federation have been joined by lawmakers for a rally at the California State Capitol to highlight the introduction of legislation requiring human operators to be present in autonomous cars (AVs) weighing more than 10,000 pounds. The legislation, Assembly Monthly bill 316, is authored by California Assembly Members Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), Asm. Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), and Asm. Ash Kalra (D-San Jose).

“This is not a partisan difficulty. General public safety affects us all. As a retired member of the California Freeway Patrol of pretty much 30 decades, I have observed the real repercussions that collisions have on humanity, and I have personally educated family members about the decline of their loved ones. That variations you, it results in being aspect of the material of who you are,” said Assemblymember Tom Lackey of District 34 and monthly bill co-writer. “That’s why I am very pleased to co-writer this piece of reasonable laws to help hold our communities safe and sound.”

The bill’s introduction arrives as the California Office of Motor Motor vehicles (DMV) is likely planning a new regulatory framework that would allow for for autonomous motor vehicles over 10,000 kilos to strike the street, possibly inside of a person yr, without consent from the California legislature. Crafting AV rules with no the enter of democratically elected representatives will build calamitous public coverage, one particular that threatens the life of millions of Californians. Teamster customers expressed their potent opposition to the DMV modifying AV regulation at a workshop it hosted on January 27.

“Moving way too quickly to change our fleets to autonomous trucking is very limited-sighted and could final result in a serious lack of educated and capable workers as we look into what the changeover appears to be like like,” claimed Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry of District 4 and invoice co-creator. “The provide chain disaster of the previous three yrs must instruct us not to disregard rising requires in this incredibly sophisticated global products system.”

“As a skillfully educated truck driver of approximately 3 many years, I have noticed hundreds of incidents, put out vehicle fires, adjusted tires for people today on the aspect of the highway, and pulled folks out of the way of highway site visitors. These incidents need a experienced human operator to react correctly. Automated autos are not prepared to be operated without the need of a appropriately educated human operator behind the wheel,” reported Aaron Issacs, a member of Teamsters Nearby 315. “California desires to put safety 1st, and this bill would do just that.”

Autonomous automobiles without human operators pose a true chance to the protection of hundreds of thousands of Californians. Studies of AV crashes and AV-associated deaths are getting to be progressively popular. In addition to the safety threats, Amazon and other AV proponents have but to outline what will transpire to specialist drivers. The proposed AV laws aims to deal with these issues and retain the community risk-free though preserving good California positions.

“We are not heading to enable the tech corporations, or any politicians destroy any individual in our communities or get rid of our employment with the use of autonomous cars. The Teamsters are completed chasing coverage: our purpose is to develop coverage and those people policies should really be designed by the persons, and for the individuals,” mentioned Lindsay Dougherty, Teamsters Western Location Worldwide Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Community 399. “We invite all politicians to be part of us in this battle to preserve and defend the lives of functioning individuals.”

“As truck motorists, we are the kinds who can rapidly assist any person whose auto is on fireplace, or in an incident. An automated machine is not ready to do that – acquiring a actual man or woman powering the wheel saves life. We also simply cannot neglect the possible cuts to great employment and how these positions guidance the livelihoods of so several California people. This is not just a occupation for me, it is daily life support for my loved ones,” mentioned Joe Garner, a member of Teamsters Community 315. “Lawmakers have an obligation to safeguard their constituents, and they have to prioritize public safety and excellent work.”

“Tech providers don’t converse about people. They don’t discuss about families that rely on the positions that you all depend on,” reported Assemblymember Ash Kalra of District 27 and monthly bill co-creator. “When we consider about security and we think about the trucking business in certain, if a truck breaks down on the aspect of the highway, I want one particular of you to be there to troubleshoot it. I want one of you to be there to make confident it receives properly off the highway. I want just one of you to be there to make certain it will get back again on the highway as securely as feasible.”

“This is these types of an critical step ahead. Technological innovation can be very good. It can. I assume there is a false impression that organized labor doesn’t like tech. Properly, we like tech as extended as it does good. Technologies can be efficient. It can make safer environments, and we want it to do so,” claimed Lorena Gonzalez, California Labor Federation Govt Secretary-Treasurer. But you don’t generate a safer surroundings if you have a 10,000 pound motor vehicle with no human operator on there as a protection internet.”

“I’ve been a qualified truck driver for almost three many years and have seen it all out on the highway. It is difficult to envision that an automated automobile could push by way of a metropolis and notice a particular person encountering psychological overall health difficulties or reply appropriately for the duration of a risky accident. You are not able to application intuition into a pc. At the rear of our employment are also true persons, who require insurance coverage just like we did when my spouse underwent most cancers procedure,” claimed Michael Fry, a member of Teamsters Local 2785. “That’s why I aid this bill to make sure the security of Californians up and down the condition and guard good-spending work opportunities.”

“This bill will assist preserve our roadways safe and sound, and it will also aid defend our positions. For me, this career signifies I can look out for my household, my wife, three sons and my daughter. With my truck driving occupation and union, I know my loved ones is staying taken care of. This task does not just give me good added benefits and a pension, it provides me peace of mind,” mentioned Fernando Reyes, a member of Teamsters Local 350. “This is why I absolutely assistance the human operator necessity monthly bill – it is time California places protection and superior work opportunities very first.”

“The Teamsters are no strangers to technologies. The Teamsters are no stranger to progression,” mentioned Jason Rabinowitz, Teamsters Joint Council 7 President. “But our union has usually demanded that with the new technological know-how, we secure our work. With the new know-how, we protect our protection and our neighborhood.”

“Here’s the bottom line: massive firms are making an attempt to implement autonomous vehicles for a single explanation only, and that is greed. What these massive corporations are attempting to do is do away with these trained experienced careers to strengthen their previously extreme corporate revenue and outsource driver jobs to robots,” explained Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Location International Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Area 856.

“How many situations have you had a glitch in your smartphone? You can envision that technologies has not gotten there nevertheless,” stated Randy Cammack, Teamsters Joint Council 42 President. “I study about one of the exam plans they did in Texas with a safety driver in the truck. The safety driver experienced to intervene 8 moments and get the wheel since technology failed. Let’s not possibility our brothers and sisters. On best of it, let’s not chance the menace to great Teamster work opportunities across the region.”

Established in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters signifies 1.2 million hardworking adult men and gals during the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Go to www.teamster.org for far more details. Stick to us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.