The pushing of automation memes has only ever been a threat to the working classes, telling them that they will be replaced. Reducing the work week was never seriously considered after the 40 hour week gave enough time for recreation (and thus consumption) and gave time for Jesus so the plebs would retain their religious programming. And indeed, they're taking away the work week and the lower classes get worked harder than ever.
The reason you don't see automation is largely because it's not technologically feasible in a way that is cheaper than just paying a person to do the work. Technology isn't the magic liberals and boojies are raised to believe it is, this shit takes some engineering (and a lot of automation plans would require engineering the whole society and landscape around technology, rather than just inventing some novel new machine, for instance you can't really automate driving without overhauling the whole road system and removing human drivers from the road). The moment it becomes technologically possible at any reasonable price, automation will be pursued, even if it is a short-term loss, because it is absolutely important to make sure the workers are removed from the production process as much as possible. There is no calculus where workers can just be shit upon more to stave off automation; even if workers were literally slaves, the capitalist would still pursue automation because machines don't complain, can work 24/7, and usually produce at a rate far greater than human hands could realistically.
