Letter: Self-checkout takes away jobs at grocery stores

Tuesday, April 20, 2004 | 9:19 a.m.

On a recent trip to my local Albertson's to buy a few items, I noticed these self checkouts but went to a regular checkout anyway. An assistant manager came up to me and asked if I would not like to use the self checkout instead. I said "no." He made the mistake of asking why. Here was my answer and I said it loud enough so that other customers could hear:

When I go to a store, whether it be a grocery store, department store or hardware store, I want customer service from a human being. That person behind the cash register earns money, pays taxes that support the community and buys at other stores that also employ people who work and support the community.

That machine, on the other hand, does none of that. It takes away a job and I feel that there have been enough jobs taken away by companies overseas that we don't need to do it anymore here. It pays no taxes, supports no other businesses. It only goes to create a bigger paycheck for a CEO.

So as far as I am concerned you can get rid of those machines. I will never use them. And I think it's shameful that people do not think about the consequences when they do use them.

DANIEL PRESTRIDGE