What about Self Checkout in the Store?

I read this article from a couple months ago and it coincided with other articles I’ve read talking about shoppers who refuse to use self-checkout in the stores because those kiosks lose jobs for people.  I see that as more of an effect than a cause:

First, the article:
Union-Backed Ballot Initiative Would Limit Grocery Stores to 2 Self-Checkout Machines

So, from the union’s perspective,


the article goes on to disprove most of those items, but my focus is on the “eliminate jobs” indictment.

well, YEAH, of course they eliminate jobs.  But the use of self-checkout kiosks is an effect, not the cause!  

when employees demand ever-rising wages for, basically, lower-demand work, employers either have to find ways to adjust expenses (including labor) or go,out of business.  Labor used to be a semi-fixed expense:  In other words, an employer can always reduce staff, but at some point, he cannot reduce any further and still have enough people to run the business... so when they get to that point, they must find new ways:  Enter the Kiosk.

simply, yes, the Kiosk does allow the employer to eliminate more CHECKERS jobs, but 1) Almost every place using self-checkout combines it with full-service checkout, AND checkers can usually find work elsewhere in the business.  So the installation of self-service checkout by employers is not the cause of people losing their jobs:  It is a response to the ever-rising labor costs of employees demanding higher wages.

**by the way, the term is “livable” wage, not “living” wage.  A wage is inanimate, it cannot “live.” 👌

i welcome your comments on self-checkout Kiosks.