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Santa Ana council advances local ordinance to require staffing at self‑service checkouts
Summary
The city council voted 7–0 to introduce an ordinance that would set minimum staffing and operational standards for self‑service checkout lanes at grocery and drug retailers, following testimony from union supporters who said automation had harmed jobs and safety and from industry representatives who urged more analysis.
The Santa Ana City Council on May 10 voted unanimously to introduce for first reading an ordinance that would require minimum staffing and operational standards for self‑service checkout stations at grocery and drug retail establishments.
Council members and union representatives said the measure is intended to protect workers and shoppers. "This ordinance is about balance," Jose Perez, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 324, told the council. Perez and other speakers said understaffed self‑checkout areas can lead to increased theft, unsafe working conditions and diminished service for seniors and people with disabilities.
Council supporters described the rule as modest and consistent with actions in nearby cities. Councilmember DeSara said the proposal — one employee for every three self‑checkout machines in the version described at the hearing — is a reasonable baseline to ensure staff can respond to customer problems and safety issues.
Grocery industry representatives urged the council to pause. Courtney Carranza, director of government affairs for Albertsons and Ron Bondon, said their Long Beach experience showed no measurable theft changes after removing or reinstating self‑checkout and said stores already use monitoring technology and staffing agreements. "The narrative that self‑checkout drives theft simply isn't supported by our real world experience and data," Carranza said.
Mayor Mesquah framed the ordinance as a local safety and customer‑service measure rather than a store‑closing action, saying the city sought to preserve jobs and prevent understaffing. Labor leaders in the chamber, including Carlos Camacho of the Orange County Labor Federation, urged passage as a defense against the unchecked automation of retail jobs.
The council introduced the ordinance by motion and voted 7–0 to advance it to a second reading at a future meeting. Staff said the ordinance text will return for a second reading with final enforcement and implementation details.
