Why Walmart is adding thousands of robots to U.S. stores

a post by Stephen Johnson for the Big Think blog

"Think R2D2," Walmart wrote in a press release. Others are thinking "layoffs."

• Walmart plans to soon add more than 3,900 robots to stores across the U.S.
• The robots will perform tasks such as scanning products, sorting shipments, cleaning floors, and readying online purchases for pickup.
• Walmart says the robots will free up time for employees to help customers, while critics say its a long-term move toward replacing human workers.

Walmart is adding thousands of new robots to stores across the U.S., a move that comes as retailers struggle to attract and retain workers amid record-low unemployment rates.

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Working conditions in the retail sector under scrutiny

This report from the European Working Conditions Observatory (Eurofound) examines trends in working conditions and employment status in the retail sector in the EU27 countries and Norway between 2001 and 2010.

The considerable expansion of the sector over the past 20 years or so is associated with a transformation in its competitive structure, greater use of technology and changes in the regulatory framework.

Large companies now dominate at the expense of the numerous small and micro businesses that once characterised the sector in most countries. One result is a significant decline in the number of self-employed workers and a substantial increase in the number of part-time jobs (many held by women) and non-permanent contracts.

These changes have affected career patterns and introduced new risks to employees’ health, especially psychosocial ones. Recent initiatives by the social partners have aimed above all to regulate flexibility and working time arrangements, promote training, reduce the risk of robbery and enhance employee well-being.

The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire (Word document) and should be read in conjunction with it.
Country reports at bottom of web page

Comparative study (PDF 112pp)
Executive summary (PDF 2pp)

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