This idea has been long disproven. Like way disproven in practice.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mcdonalds-robot-cashiers/ https://twitter.com/soyteam6/status/1391763701770956802

Let me explain a few points:

First, the startup cost of automation is a bank-breaker for most franchises. Buying and training and installing kiosks and robots is so much more expensive than just paying the minimum wage.

The other important thing is that customers don’t like it. Which matters. How many times have you been to Target and seen long lines for cashiers and no one at self-check?

This is not just my opinion; it’s fact. https://www.retaildive.com/news/70-of-consumers-still-want-human-interaction-versus-bots/543324/

Also, automation still relies on people - to service the machines, to help customers use them (see: the three people who usually work near self-check areas), to turn them on and monitor the customers.

So automation doesn’t necessarily replace people, it just moves them around.

Finally, there are just a lot of human tasks that robots suck at or don’t make sense for. I get the sense that anyone who thinks that high minimum wage will force employers to replace humans in like, fast food have never actually worked in food service. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/05/19/407736307/robots-are-really-bad-at-folding-towels

I was the assistant manager at a Tully’s for a while and I can tell you that while they automated some stuff - push-button espresso machines - there were a lot of little fiddly tasks that you kind of just need a human person to do.

So like, the bottom line is that automation does make sense for streamlining tasks and factory settings, but the world where all of Walmart is replaced by robots is still a long ways off, if ever.

And people who peddle this idea are just trying to scare you.

It’s bonkers that there isn’t widespread contempt for this kind of fear-mongering.

Any white collar individual who doesn’t feel solidarity to the working class is shooting themself in the foot.

The rich will not save you when the time comes, no matter how many boots you lick.

Raising the minimum wage is not a threat to white collar workers. And fighting against it will not buy you special favor from our monied overlords.

They don’t care about you. You’re backing the wrong team.