The Teamsters Union has come out in full support of a bill that would ban companies from using autonomous vehicles to deliver goods without a human operator.
Assembly Bill 33, proposed by Asm. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D–Winters), has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee for consideration.
Driving the news: AB 33 would prohibit the delivery of commercial goods to a residence or business through the use of autonomous vehicles without a human operator on any California highway.
- Prepared meals and food that is intended for immediate consumption from restaurants would be excluded from the prohibition.
- Violators would be punished by a civil fine of $25,000 for each instance.
The big picture: Teamsters announced Tuesday that the union proudly endorses Aguiar-Curry’s bill.
- Teamsters also pointed to a Tulchin Research poll from January that shows the vast majority of Californians are concerned about Big Tech’s power and artificial intelligence threatening jobs.
What they’re saying: Teamsters argues that AB 33 provides a reasonable solution for the problems that automation presents to California’s workforce, with the deployment of autonomous vehicles for deliveries threatening hundreds of thousands of jobs.
- “The evidence is clear: Californians are sick and tired of Big Tech’s complete disregard for the impact of AI on safety, jobs, and our communities. Driverless trucks are dangerous, and delivery drivers across the state are demanding elected officials fight with us to protect good middle class jobs,” said Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and President of Joint Council 7. “The Teamsters applaud Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for introducing AB 33 and continuing the fight to keep our streets safe, workers employed, and Big Tech held to account.”
