Automation can continue.
The issue like you pointed out is people being paid with low wages.
Regardless of what job you have, you should be paid a living wage.
A living wage is where you bring home after deductions, enough to pay basic living expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, food, clothing, car payment and related expenses and any miscellaneous expenses).
After you pay all that, you have what is called disposable income. This is the money you can put away for savings, use for vacation and spend on worthless junk you don’t need.
And a living wage is a wage you get from working one job, not 2 or 3 jobs.
The issue today is majority of Americans can barely or not pay their basic living expenses working just one job. They having to work 2 or 3 jobs to pay for basic living expenses. They are flat broke before they get their paycheck.
That is no way to live, especially when living in the richest country in Earth with Corporations making record profits.