C.O. shoppers share mixed reactions to grocery store initiative

(Update: Adding more comments, reaction, poll)

A potential Oregon ballot initiative, if approved, would slow the roll of automation — starting at grocery store checkout lines.

The Oregon AFL-CIO, which represents the state’s unions, has submitted a measure for approval that would limit the number of self-checkout machines in stores to two.

Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain calls self-checkout machines a ” deliberate corporate strategy ” to reduce labor costs and eliminate jobs.

” This is the tip of the iceberg, ” Chamberlain said. ” As we get into more automation, more people are going to lose jobs. At some point – couple that with the expansion of self-checkout in the state – there has to come a point where folks stand up and say, ‘ We have to maintain our standards of living. We have to fight for that. ‘ ”

He said the speed of automation being introduced in the workplace is out of control and Oregonians are the ones hurt by this process.

” Not only do we need to pass this ballot measure to get on top of automation, we need to establish in this state a task force to look at automation as it relates to job loss and the quality of life for Oregonians, ” he stated.

The Northwest Grocery Association, a group that represents the grocery industry, says the measure is misguided and that customers increasingly prefer self-checkout lines for their speed and convenience. The association also contests the fact that self-checkout machines replace jobs.

NGA President Joe Gilliam told NewsChannel 21, ” That is nothing more than union rhetoric, with a guy sitting at a negotiating table right now. There’s not an ounce of truth to his statement. ”

He released a statement Wednesday, that said, in part, ” The measure is tone deaf to what the public is demanding in the marketplace. Self-checkout is all about enhancing the customer experience in the store.

” The initiative that’s put out is perplexing to us, but it’s very misguided, ” Gilliam told NewsChannel 21. ” Our number one job is to meet our customer’s needs, and they’re telling us how they want to shop. If we lose that business – we don’t earn their business then we lose that customer, and so I think the AFL-CIO is misguided on this measure. ”

NewsChannel 21 spoke with Bend shoppers on Monday to find out if they would be in favor or against such a measure.

” It’s a little inconvenient for those of us that just want to pick up a few things and get on our way and not (stand) in lines especially at the busy times of the day, ” said Heidi Jimenez. ” I think it’s necessary to have more than two available. ”

Tom Sanders said, ” I can see the concern about, on the employee’s part that the machines are taking their jobs. I think they’re probably making their job a little easier because they won’t have as cranky customers. ”

Sandra Nelson said, ” Well, I would be all for a little inconvenience to create more jobs, if it did create more jobs. Which hopefully, that would be what it would do. ”

Chamberlain predicts eliminating jobs in grocery stores will disproportionately affect women and people of color, noting that, for instance, 63% of such workers are women.

While the grocery industry contends that positions are being created elsewhere, Chamberlain isn’t convinced those additions can make up for the number of jobs lost each time a set of machines goes in.

” One checker overseeing two lines of machines that are sometimes eight checkouts each – those are jobs, ” he points out. ” Not only an eight-hour job, but multi-shifts, because those checkouts aren’t staffed for just eight hours. They’re staffed for a number of different shifts. ”

Chamberlain estimated reducing the number of self-checkout stations to two per store will make at least 24 new jobs available at each location.

The prospective petition gathered enough signatures for the Attorney General to draft the ballot title. Once that happens, the Grocery Store Service and Community Protection Act would need a little more than 112,000 signatures to qualify for the November 2020 ballot.