That D-Word in Labor

MSNBC reports: Major grocer getting rid of self-checkout lanes.

Albertsons LLC, which operates 217 stores in seven Western and Southern states, will eliminate all self-checkout lanes in the 100 stores that have them and will replace them with standard or express lanes, a spokeswoman said.

"We just want the opportunity to talk to customers more," Albertsons spokeswoman Christine Wilcox said. "That's the driving motivation."

Wilcox said the replacement of automated checkout lanes with human-operated lanes likely would mean more hours available for employees to work.

Must call BULLSHIT on the "want to talk to customers more". Nobody does. Not even the customers!

Labor is cheaper than the machines. That's all there is to it.

Sounds like a depression to me!