That is only a real problem if the population does not keep up with this development. I can not tell whether requirements are (now) growing faster then capabilities but both certainly grew ever since. The other thing is that it seems to me that - at least to some extend - the capabilities are the controlling factor here. The economy can demand whatever it needs, if it is not available the economy will have to adopt.
Increasing minimum wages will only just accelerate automation and exacerbate the problem.
I did not mean to increase minimum wages more and more just to make any job viable, this of course only leads to inflation. I meant to let non-viable [EDIT: This read »no viable« before.] jobs die or automate. If people are not willing to pay enough for getting their lawn mowed - not sure if that is a good example - to make a living from it, then there never was a market for lawn mowing. Subsidizing it by the rest of the population with government benefits of any kind is not a solution.
Are you saying you'd outlaw self-service gas pumps and checkout stations? Robotic assembly lines and autonomous vehicles?
A large fraction of the population has no distinguishing skills. That segment of the population is going to find itself with ever fewer ways to earn a living.
Besides that I am not sure about you comment, I am not sure how you interpreted my comment with the spelling error. I am especially confused because your first paragraph sounds like you are arguing for automation, the second paragraphs sounds like you consider it harmful for unskilled workers. I don't want to outlaw any automation, quite the opposite, I would consider the ultimate goal a world where all work is done by robots and nobody has to work.
Now, in which system can a neighbor earn an extra $20 a week for a morning of work? In which system does my front garden look nicer from the sidewalk? Someone (probably a teen) gets some walking around money, the whole neighborhood gets a nicer sidewalk view, and I don't have to do an optional job that I dislike. Sounds like a winner all around to me, but no way is "pulling weeds" a full-time, live alone and without additional support career.
All of which perpetuates the cash/grey economy (and the off-shoring of garment-making jobs in your example).
The thing about UBI is that it allows employees to turn down bad economic deals without starving. Sure, you can't live in a 2000 ft^2 house, drive a new car, eat and party out all the time, but you probably don't have to take a job with ridiculously bad conditions just so you can buy a can of beans or Ramen.
There are all sorts of things that people will pay a handful of dollars for, but that they won't/can't pay $10/hr for. Mine was just a concrete example of a low skill required task that I don't enjoy and that someone whose basic needs were already covered might be interested in doing, much like I did when I was a kid/teen and wanted to earn some extra money.
I am in favor of automation (for the same reasons you are, I think), and automation does harm unskilled workers.
Between the present day and the future golden age of robotics that we both desire is a period of time in which some fraction of the population, who have specialized skills that are hard to automate, will work for a living, while another fraction (probably larger than the first) of the population will have nothing to offer in return for money. I don't see any way around the first group subsidizing the existence of the second.
You are actually in favor of outlawing lawn mowing as a job? My 14 year old kid can't take a $20 from my neighbor to get some fresh air and weekend spending money? Are you serious????
Increasing minimum wages will only just accelerate automation and exacerbate the problem.
My concern about UBI is that it won't properly track inflation and will quickly become not enough and all the welfare programs are gone, so people are doubly screwed.
Other than that, I like it. I'd like to see more "pay to go to school" programs, though. We'd end up with fewer Trumps...