Initiative to limit grocery store self-checkout moves to signature gathering

SALEM — Are grocery store self-checkout lanes an annoyance? A convenience? Do they reduce the number of grocery store jobs?

A federation of Oregon unions wants voters to issue a verdict on the self-checkout kiosks becoming more prevalent at grocery stores.

After the Oregon Supreme Court certified the attorney general’s description of the measure last week, a petition to limit each grocery store to two of the checkout kiosks can now move forward to signature gathering.

Sandra McDonough, Oregon Business & Industry president and chief executive officer, challenged the attorney general’s description of the proposed measure, asking the court to review it.

Backers need 112,020 signatures to get onto the November ballot.

Filed in July by former Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain of Portland, Initiative Petition 41 is backed by a coalition of labor groups representing about 300,000 Oregon workers.

“We have been consistently concerned about the impacts of technology and automation on the livelihoods of working people, especially when they have no voice in how technology is used in their workplaces,” said Graham Trainor, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, in a statement. “You can see expansion of self-checkout machines in stores across the country and in Oregon.”

He said jobs were lost as a result.

The AFL-CIO contends self-checkout kiosks let stores rely more on part-time workers and leaves workers “feeling devalued.” They also claim that self-checkout stands make it easier for minors to buy alcohol and for people to steal from stores.

Joe Gilliam, president of the Northwest Grocery Association, scoffed at the labor group’s claims, calling the proposed measure “a bit perplexing and very misguided.”

“Today’s customer wants convenience and less hassle when shopping,” Gilliam wrote in an email to the Oregon Capital Bureau. “This is evident in the growth of online shopping for local pick-up and home delivery. This measure is tone deaf to what the public is demanding in the marketplace.”

He said that self-checkout lets customers check out more quickly and privately. He said presuming that self-checkout machines would replace workers is “simply untrue.”

“Employees are our lifeblood and provide key services that no machine can duplicate,” Gilliam said.

Reporter Claire Withycombe: cwithycombe@eomediagroup.com or 971-304-4148.