#United States #San Francisco #Teamsters #Waymo

Bay Area Teamsters Demand Accountability from Waymo

On March 2, 2026, outside San Francisco City Hall, members of Teamsters Joint Council 7 united with the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 and the International Association of Firefighters Local 798 to voice their concerns regarding the performance of Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company. The event aimed to shine a light on the operational failures that occurred during a significant power outage in December.

During this widespread blackout, Waymo's vehicles froze, creating complications that escalated traffic congestion and posed serious public safety risks. One of the most alarming incidents involved Waymo cars blocking emergency responders—including firefighters—who were racing to control an electrical substation fire that contributed to the blackout.

Peter Finn, the President of Teamsters Joint Council 7 and Co-Chair of Teamsters California, expressed strong discontent with Waymo’s operational excuses. “Excuses about blocking fire trucks on their way to emergencies are unacceptable. We need to see real change and demand accountability from AV companies,” he stated passionately. Finn emphasizes the ongoing risks that autonomous vehicles pose to public safety and middle-class jobs amidst a backdrop of growing operational threats since Waymo was granted permission to operate in California without a human driver in 2022.

In recent instances, Waymo vehicles have collided with pedestrians—most notably, a child outside a school in San Francisco, and have even caused fatalities involving animals, such as a Bodega cat. Furthermore, these vehicles have a troubling history of encroaching on active construction sites and interrupting law enforcement activity, like the recent occasion where a Waymo impeded an ambulance responding to a mass shooting in Texas.

Despite these incidents, advocates for Teamsters warn that AVs continue to disrupt essential services. Quentin Booker, a sanitation driver from Teamsters Local 350, raised concerns regarding how these autonomous vehicles interfere with daily operations. “We navigate steep and narrow streets every day to ensure our neighborhoods are clean and safe. It's unacceptable for them to obstruct our work,” he lamented.

To counteract the threat posed by autonomous vehicles to public safety and workers, Teamsters Joint Council 7 plans to promote a legislative package robust enough to enhance the safety of Californians and protect local jobs—benefits extended not just to corporate entities, but to everyday Californians as well.

The Teamsters Joint Council 7 represents a diverse membership of over 100,000 individuals across 20 local unions throughout Northern California, the Central Valley, and Northern Nevada. Members participate in a wide range of industries, including freight and delivery, construction, food processing, and many others. This broad representation underscores the collective voice of workers who are demanding meaningful change regarding the operational oversight of companies like Waymo.

For further information and updates, interested parties may visit Teamsters Joint Council 7's website.

Contact Information:
Alexandra Banash
Phone: (510) 418-2612
Email: [email protected]