Fight For $15 Crowd Slams Self-Checkout Machines Replacing Workers

 On Saturday, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, freaked out that self check-out machines will put people out of work, urged people to boycott the machines by posting a message on Facebook:

Of course, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO has been part of the movement to raise the minimum wage for years, clamoring to hike the wage to $15 an hour. Forget the fact that hiking the minimum wage often hurts workers because companies simply cut down on the number of employees.

As far back as 2011, AFL-CIO president Richard L. Trumka refused to condemnworkers for comparing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to Adolf Hitler. That year, Walker signed Act 10, a bill ending forced unionization.

As Fox News reported about Act 10:

It empowered local governments and school districts to bid out to get the best deal for benefits on the open market – something that was virtually impossible under the state’s collective bargaining structure. It required public-sector union members to contribute 5.8 percent of their salaries toward their retirement (they had previously contributed nothing) and cover 12.6 percent of their health insurance premiums — still far less than the average benefit contributions for private-sector employees. It ended the practice of the state automatically collecting union dues on behalf of unions, letting workers choose whether they want to pay to belong to a union.

After the Wisconsin AFL-CIO posted their anti-self checkout message on Facebook, there were some responses that were highly critical of their stance:

“Self checkout is one of the best innovations of my lifetime. Few things are worse than standing in line to check out when you only have a few items.”

“I have anxiety dealing with ppl these are a life saver. Stop demonizing automation and start thinking of other jobs humans can do.”

“I worked in the grocery industry for fifteen years. I would much rather checkout my own groceries than deal with an employ who doesn't want to be there and/or doesn't know that tomatoes don't go under the laundry detergent. Fighting this technology is a futile endeavor. Refusing self-checkout is like refusing to use your digital camera so you can keep 35mm film manufacturers in business. It makes as much sense as voting for dt because your family works in the coal industry. With new technology comes new jobs. If you'll notice, running the self-checkout requires special training. Not just any checker can run it. Clinging to twentieth century standards is only holding us all back.”