I ran to Jewel-Osco this morning before mass for dish detergent, and left with everything but.

After forgetting the item I really needed, I debated on waiting for a cashier, or trying to negotiate one of the so-called “self-checkout” lanes. Been there before, and the self-checkouts can be quick. More often than not, they’re simply annoying as the simple recorded voice reminds you to “place your item on the belt,” or “in a bag.”

I opted for the human being, telling her the self-checkout lanes cost real people jobs, and I prefer to work with people.

“Really? I hadn’t heard that side before,” she replied. “It takes three people to run those.”

There are seven self-checkout lanes at this particular store in Olympia Fields. Even using conservative figures for staffing of one cashier and three baggers for those seven lanes, that still means seven human beings are out of work.

Do the math with all Jewel-Osco stores in the Chicagoland area and beyond, and, well, you get the picture. They have 185 stores nationwide.  Multiply that  by the two to three shifts of people who are not working because of these shopping ports, and we’re suddenly talking real people without real jobs, or health care, etc. etc. etc.

Jewel-Osco: great savings every week, at a price.