To the San Jose City Council:

We, the undersigned UFCW Local 5 members who live and/or work in San Jose, urge the San Jose City Council to pass legislation regulating the use of self-checkout in retail stores.

Retail workers are proud to serve our communities. We help customers find what they need, keep stores running, stock shelves, assist seniors and families, and make sure customers have a positive shopping experience.

But self-checkout has too often been used in ways that make our jobs harder, increase the likelihood of retail theft, and reduce customer service. Workers are being asked to oversee too many machines at once, respond to customer questions, monitor multiple transactions, and keep checkout areas moving — all while stores cut staffing and expect one worker to do the job of many.

Retail workers should not feel compelled to deter people from stealing. That is not our job, and it can put workers in unsafe situations. But when one worker is forced to oversee too many self-checkout stations at once, it becomes harder to assist customers, manage the checkout area, and theft becomes more likely because of improper staffing and slow customer service.

Self-checkout can work when it is used responsibly. But it should not replace basic staffing, undermine customer service, or put workers in unsafe and impossible situations.
We support legislation that would:

• Limit self-checkout purchases to 15 items or fewer so self-checkout is used for quick transactions and does not replace fully staffed checkout lanes.

• Limit workers to overseeing no more than three self-checkout stations at a time so employees can safely assist customers, provide real service, and help deter theft through adequate staffing.

• Require at least one staffed checkout lane to be open before self-checkout is made available so customers always have access to a trained worker and are not forced to use self-checkout.

• Prohibit locked-up items from being processed through self-checkout so workers are not forced to unlock merchandise, assist customers, and monitor multiple self-checkout transactions at the same time.

These common-sense standards will help deter retail theft, improve working conditions, protect good retail jobs, and give San Jose customers the service they deserve.

This legislation is not about eliminating technology. It is about making sure technology works for workers, customers, and the community — not just for corporations trying to cut labor costs while shifting more responsibility onto fewer employees.

San Jose retail workers deserve safe staffing levels, manageable workloads, and the ability to provide strong customer service. Customers deserve open checkout lanes, help from trained workers, and stores that are safe, accessible, and well-run.

We respectfully call on the San Jose City Council to stand with retail workers, customers, and our communities by passing responsible self-checkout legislation.