United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1262 President Harvey Whille joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed automation technology in the retail industry and its impact on workers and their families.
Local 1262 represents 23,000 members in New York and New Jersey.
Whille explained how automation technologies such as a robot that changes prices in the aisles of New York grocery stores, self-checkout machines and self-scanning grocery carts affect retail workers and their families. He stressed such technology should never replace humans. Whille noted customers will often choose to stand in longer lines to go through a traditional checkout, where they get human interaction, instead of going through shorter lines with an automated checkout.
He also discussed how grocery store workers dealt with the pandemic and how now stores struggle to hire enough employees.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics.