Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Interior view of a self-driving shuttle in New York City's Times Square. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
A union representing Ohio bus drivers is threatening to strike in response to the planned introduction of a low-speed driverless shuttle in Columbus that will operate in partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation. The union has launched a statewide campaign against driverless vehicles, calling them dangerous and a threat to jobs.
The big picture: Nearly 3% of the U.S. workforce is employed in driving occupations, amounting to 4 million jobs that stand to be eliminated as AVs hit the roads. Nearly 16% of these workers are unionized, so standoffs like the one in Columbus are likely to occur across the country.
Why it matters: State and local governments are motivated by the prospect of saving money, increasing safety and attracting businesses to smart cities that appeal to younger, tech-savvy workers. Private sector employers likewise stand to gain from automation.
But job losses for driving occupations are certain and will spark legal fights for employers. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, bus drivers tend to be older, less educated and unionized. These workers have fewer alternative employment opportunities and are therefore inclined to resist the rollout of job-displacing AVs.
What to watch: Employers who plan to take advantage of this new technology can take multiple steps to address employee concerns, such as educating workers about the new jobs that will be created and providing training to ensure qualified workers are available. Where threats of strikes exist, employers negotiating new union agreements might even have a duty to bargain with the union over any adoption of AV technology and its effect on employees. Employers that fail to meet their legal obligations could be ordered to reinstate anyone laid off, with backpay.
Mike Greco is founding partner and chair of the Autonomous Vehicles Practice Group at Fisher Phillips.