In Giveaway to Big Tech, HB 7 Would Kill Jobs and Endanger Motorists

(FRANKFORT, Ky.) – Teamsters, firefighters, police officers, other union members and elected officials gathered today at the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort to demand that senators vote no on House Bill 7, unpopular legislation that would legalize driverless trucks in Kentucky with little to no oversight.

“We cannot let California’s Big Tech write laws for our state. Lawmakers need to pass legislation that’s by and for Kentucky residents,” said Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman. “Senators need to preserve good union jobs, safe streets, and the will of the people by stopping this bill dead in its tracks.”

In states where driverless vehicles are already on the road, safety problems are widespread. Robotaxis have wreaked havoc by obstructing first responders, traffic, municipal workers, and ambulances. A Cruise robotaxi ran over a pedestrian and dragged her 20 feet in San Francisco in October 2023. In the wake of this safety incident, the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into Cruise. Last week, an additional investigation was opened into the company after reports that the vehicles nearly collided with children in two separate incidents. A Waymo robotaxi crashed into a cyclist in San Francisco last week, and this week the company issued a massive software recall following an incident where two of its robotaxis in Phoenix crashed into the exact same truck moments apart. 

“Driverless trucks are a danger to highway safety and good jobs in Kentucky. These companies only care about profit and not the safety of our roads or the thousands of jobs that will be put at risk by this unproven technology,” said Avral Thompson, Teamsters Central Region International Vice President and President of Teamsters Local 89. “Our elected leaders must listen to the workers of this state — not the corporations — and vote no on HB 7.”

Polling shows more than four out of five Kentucky voters would be less likely to support their legislature if they voted to allow driverless cars and trucks on Kentucky roads, and they were concerned that driverless vehicles are a threat to replacing workers’ jobs.

“Many drivers across Kentucky have good-paying union jobs and contracts that have been hard-fought over many years,” said John Stovall, President of Teamsters Joint Council 94. “If automation in other sectors of the economy has demonstrated anything, it’s that the jobs that replace those lost to automation are low-wage, exploitative, and nowhere close to being middle class. Artificial intelligence needs to be introduced in a way that benefits everyone in society–not just the billionaires.”

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

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