Working Conditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Working Conditions - Essay Example According to Andre and Manuel - ' this  principle holds that the morally right course of action in any situation is the one that produces the greatest balance of benefits over harms for everyone affected' (Andre, 2010).  I absolutely agree in supporting the detailed recommendations  of  Human Rights Watch  enlisted below (Compa, 2005). New federal and state laws should reduce line speed in meat and poultry plants and establish new ergonomics standards to reduce repetitive stress injuries. Health and safety authorities should apply stronger enforcement measures. States should develop stronger worker compensation laws and enforcement mechanisms. Employers should not engage in aggressive, intimidating anti-organizing campaigns that take advantage of loopholes and weaknesses in the  U.S.  labor law system. Congress should enact legislation bringing  U.S.  labor law into compliance with international standards (e.g. to prohibit the permanent replacement of striking worke rs) and should also create stronger remedies for violations of workers’ rights. New laws and policies should ensure respect for the human rights of immigrant workers, whatever their legal status. Immigrants should have the same workplace protections as non-immigrants, including coverage under fair labor standards and other labor laws, and the same remedies when their rights are violated   A hog worker from  North Carolina  quotes â€Å"The line is so fast there is no time to sharpen the knife. The knife gets dull and you have to cut harder. That’s when you cut yourself.† If a worker really loses limb or life, who is there to lend a helping hand to his family to earn daily living. Ethically, the employers should open their eyes and weigh the resulting benefits and harms of policies that are  forced upon the workers in meat and poultry industry. The  Ã‚  Ã‚  increase in volume and speed of production  Ã‚  Ã‚  should be backed with quality training and sufficient safeguards making the work less hazardous.  Employers should choose the course of action that provides greatest benefits to the  workers who make up to 30,000 hard-cutting motions with sharp knives in a shift and often become victim of long-term occupational injuries and frequent lacerations. Investigations done by Human Rights Watch have shown that workers often do not  receive compensation for injuries at workplace because companies do not report injuries. The claims are delayed and denied; reprisals are  inflicted  on workers who file them. Workers are loved  as  long as  they are healthy and capable of working like a dog. But once they get hurt,  company will find a reason to fire them or put  them in a terrible job or change the shift so that worker quits.  Ã‚  Therefore, lot of people just work with the pain without reporting their injuries.  To overcome such situations, according to deontology, a right choice conforms to a moral norm. Such n orms are made simply to be obeyed by each moral agent in spite of maximizing such norm-keepings .For deontologists the Right has priority over the Good. If an action is not in accord with the Right, it may not be performed; no matter the Good that it might (Alexander 2008).  In an investigation conducted by Jamie Fellner, director of the U.S. Program at Human Rights Watch, the fact  revealed was that often Public agencies try to protect consumers from tainted meat but do very little to  Ã‚  protect their workers from  unhealthy and terrible conditions. It is also reported that aggressive and unlawful company try to derail workers’ organizing efforts. Employers threat workers who try to defend themselves