I have two types of gloves I wear: those flimsy oily gloves for “regular” days, and a heavier powdered vinyl glove for really humid days (reason being, it is impossible to get an unpowdered glove on without it tearing on a really humid day.

I am a huge fan of glove use. Here in Massachusetts we are required to wear gloves any time we are working with food ready for service. Reading your post, I agree with most of your objections; however, most of the potential pitfalls can be overcome with proper training and practice. If the proper policies are set up I feel gloves actually encourage hamdwashing rather than discouraging it like you suggested. Make it a hard and fast rule that hands get washed every time gloves get changed. Then specify every scenario when gloves have to be changed. I bet your employees will wash their hands more, not less, if they follow the rules.

When I was the food safety manager for the supermarket I used to work at, our rules were simple: wash your hands every time you change your gloves, and change your gloves every time you: touch your hair, touch your face, touch your clothes, touch a counter, touch the floor, touch the wall, touch the ceiling, touch the trash, touch raw meat, touch raw seafood, touch a door handle, leave your immediate work area, go to the restroom, go on break, or handle dirty dishes, or every 15 minutes even if you do none of the above.