Having run trade unions out of town, American companies now have sole the ear of State legislatures.  Their message to lawmakers is,  “If you want to help us, do something about worker’s compensation – it’s killing us”.  This despite the fact that insurance for worker’s compensation costs are, in real terms, at 1970’s levels,  and insurance companies are making record profits.  If you lose an arm in Alabama the rate at which you are compensated can be around ten per cent of what you can get in Georgia. It’s a mess.

Those involved in this issue lamely say that there is no one out there with an interest in whether a worker loses an arm or leg ( I thought all these people belonged to a Christian church?).

In the old days the trade unions rooted for the injured worker.  The workers themselves have allowed the unions to be decimated .  Can you imagine this happening in France or Italy?   And then again, why are there so many injuries that this has become a major issue?  It’s because too many company CEOs care more for profit than for safety, and blame government, wicked government, for too many rules and regulations.  What do most of these rules and regulations do? Protect the consumer from dangerous and shoddy products, and the worker from the Mr. Gradgrinds of the world. In the unlikely event you have never heard of Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, buy the book by Dickens.  Everyone should read it.

And what would Epicurus make of this?  He would be leading demonstrations calling for proper safety inspections and seriously high payouts for people hurt at work because of the sloppiness, greed and bad management of the company.  Of course, it has to be said that not every accident at work is the fault of the management. Bad luck and stupidity still abound.