[palmfacehn]

They can apply their labor wherever it is valued. Perhaps they will become more productive excavator operators. By creating value in a specialized field their income would increase. Technology does not decrease the need for labor. Rather it increases the productivity of the laborer.

Human ingenuity always finds a need for value creation. Greater abundance creates new opportunities.

Take the inverse position. Should we go back to reading by candlelight to increase employment in candle making?

No, electric lighting allowed peopled to become productive during night hours. A market was created for electricity producers, which allowed additional products which consume electricity to be marketed. Technological increases in productivity cascade into all areas of life, increasing our living standards.

A more interesting, if not controversial line of inquiry might start with: If technology is constantly advancing human productivity, why do modern economies consistently experience price inflation?