Cost savings and efficiency are two of the biggest reasons factories have slowly become more automated over the last few years, leaving hundreds of workers without jobs. However, covid seems to have accelerated this change, with more companies switching to automation to enable production to continue during lockdowns.
This is especially the case for meatworks, as it seems many meatwork factories around the world have seen covid clusters (including Australia).
I wasn’t sure how a meatworks could replace people with machines, I mean, every animal is a slightly different size and bones would get in the way, wouldn’t they? So I found this video which shows how it works. It’s pretty amazing. I can see why it would be so efficient and cost effective. Bad news for the workers indeed.
Have you been affected by automation of an industry? What did you think of the automated meatworks?
August 20, 2020 at 9:34 pm
So at first I didn’t want to watch the video because I thought it would be icky but I knew you wouldn’t post an icky video without a disclaimer so I watched it. And it’s kind of mesmerizing, isn’t it? lol Just the way the machines operate in such fluid motions and stuff haha. It was cool to see!
August 22, 2020 at 8:18 am
Oh, I would never put anything icky without warning. It is quite amazing how efficient it is. And remarkably clean.
August 21, 2020 at 12:35 pm
This is why universal basic income is gaining traction. It would be ideal right about now with everything shut down.
August 22, 2020 at 8:19 am
It would be ideal, but I don’t think anyone can afford to do it. I was curious and did a quick google – no country has one in place (I thought one of the Scandanavian countries might have as they are quite forward thinking like that).