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Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

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Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#11

Post by ed_balls »

liquidise wrote: post #3

Modern societies are going to have a very real problem to grapple with as this replacement goes from newsworthy to the norm. This could result in significant worker displacement with massive bottom-line ROI for companies in the next decade or two, particularly as minimum wages rise. I'm not of the opinion that this automation will create an equal number of jobs for the ones they replace. Even if they do, it is unlike…

state-backed jobs with negative income tax/UBI/wealthfare. This is what gonna happen in Japan. USA? no idea, some kind of revolution. The biggest problem will be in countries like Bangladesh.

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#12

Post by frlnBorg »

sharkweek wrote: post #7
liquidise wrote: post #3

Modern societies are going to have a very real problem to grapple with as this replacement goes from newsworthy to the norm. This could result in significant worker displacement with massive bottom-line ROI for companies in the next decade or two, particularly as minimum wages rise. I'm not of the opinion that this automation will create an equal number of jobs for the ones they replace. Even if they do, it is unlike…

The lower class gets bigger and bigger, and is either kept just happy enough to not revolt or... At some point this boils over and the ultra wealthy are forced to redistribute wealth either through new political policy or by violent force.

That is a foolish thing to say

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#13

Post by excalibur »

cbowal wrote: post #9
excalibur wrote: post #5

How about instead of selling robots to companies to replace their laborers, we sell robots to the workers to do their jobs. You keep getting paid as long as you keep your robot running.

Are the workers putting up the capital to purchase the robots?

There would probably need to be rental services/financing options for those who can't afford to buy one outright.

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#14

Post by njarboe »

cbowal wrote: post #9
excalibur wrote: post #5

How about instead of selling robots to companies to replace their laborers, we sell robots to the workers to do their jobs. You keep getting paid as long as you keep your robot running.

Are the workers putting up the capital to purchase the robots?

Maybe instead of free education and health care, we can get free robots?

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#15

Post by CPLX »

frlnBorg wrote: post #12
sharkweek wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The lower class gets bigger and bigger, and is either kept just happy enough to not revolt or... At some point this boils over and the ultra wealthy are forced to redistribute wealth either through new political policy or by violent force.

That is a foolish thing to say

Why? That's pretty much a summary of how social change has worked for the last 2000 years or so.

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#16

Post by pkaye »

excalibur wrote: post #5

How about instead of selling robots to companies to replace their laborers, we sell robots to the workers to do their jobs. You keep getting paid as long as you keep your robot running.

Why not the workers invest in the company that sells the robots?

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#17

Post by apercu »

I worked in a warehouse for a summer in school because the hours fit around my other job and the pay was little higher than some other options (retail). But the Teamsters union ran the show and it was so political that I went back to the food/beverage service business.

All that said, it's too bad that warehouse work isn't going to be an option for many people. There are fewer and fewer jobs for a lot of people.

Note: I support Unions and wish we had more. That union, however....

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#18

Post by JumpCrisscross »

sharkweek wrote: post #7
liquidise wrote: post #3

Modern societies are going to have a very real problem to grapple with as this replacement goes from newsworthy to the norm. This could result in significant worker displacement with massive bottom-line ROI for companies in the next decade or two, particularly as minimum wages rise. I'm not of the opinion that this automation will create an equal number of jobs for the ones they replace. Even if they do, it is unlike…

The lower class gets bigger and bigger, and is either kept just happy enough to not revolt or... At some point this boils over and the ultra wealthy are forced to redistribute wealth either through new political policy or by violent force.

> At some point this boils over and the ultra wealthy are forced to redistribute wealth either through new political policy or by violent force

Not necessarily. The same robotic technology that decouples low-skill labour inputs and outputs is decoupling populations from force projection capabilities. Less cynically, there are organic ways for the situation to positively evolve (e.g. higher across-board labour productivity) without overt wealth redistribution.

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#19

Post by x220 »

excalibur wrote: post #5

How about instead of selling robots to companies to replace their laborers, we sell robots to the workers to do their jobs. You keep getting paid as long as you keep your robot running.

Workers don't have the capital or the know-how... that's why they are selling labor in the first place.

Re: Uniqlo cut 90% of staff at one warehouse by replacing them with robots

#20

Post by saas_sam »

apercu wrote: post #17

I worked in a warehouse for a summer in school because the hours fit around my other job and the pay was little higher than some other options (retail). But the Teamsters union ran the show and it was so political that I went back to the food/beverage service business. All that said, it's too bad that warehouse work isn't going to be an option for many people. There are fewer and fewer jobs for a lot of people. Note:…

Just curious but why do you think other unions are better than the one you had experience with? (Not looking to argue just genuinely curious in your perspective, thanks.)
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