Push Buttons And People
388 views · Published 8 November 2012 · 20:26 · Indexed 1 November 2026
Channel: A/V Geeks 16mm Films · 2012 · Education
Higher quality versions of this film can also be licensed for stock footage. Contact [email protected] for more information. This film explores the societal impact of automation, particularly on employment. It contrasts the Industrial Revolution's mechanization, which replaced manual labor but still required human direction, with modern automation, where machines also perform cognitive tasks. Union leader Walter Reuther argues that while unions welcome technological progress for increased productivity and living standards, companies must also take responsibility for displaced workers by providing severance, relocation assistance, and retraining. He emphasizes that the increased efficiency and profitability from automation should fund these worker transition programs, rather than becoming solely an additional cost for consumers. The film concludes by posing the critical question of whether humanity can harness automation for collective prosperity or be overcome by the threat of widespread unemployment. Keywords: Automation, Unemployment, Labor, Unions, Technological Progress, Industrial Revolution, Walter Reuther, UAW, Economic Impact, Retraining, Severance Pay, Relocation Assistance, Productivity, Manufacturing.
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