Workers

Washington Post - Connecticut lawmakers are considering a bill that would impose new limits on how grocery stores use self-checkout systems. Micromanagers in Hartford are seeking to cap the number of machines in each store and force nonunion stores to adopt union policies to purportedly improve customer service and worker protections. But the proposed crackdown on automation could lead to rising costs for stores and limited services for shoppers.

The bill would restrict self-checkout stations to eight per store, require one staffed checkout lane for every two automated stations and mandate one employee for every two machines. Connecticut would be among the first jurisdictions in the country to implement such strict rules governing retail checkout operations, despite self-checkout technology being used by grocery stores for more than 25 years.