Labor Laws Quotes

“If one tallied all of the losses suffered by victims of robberies, burglaries, larcenies, and motor vehicle thefts combined, the figure wouldn't even approach what is taken from hardworking Americans' pockets by employers who violate the nation's labor laws.”
― Kathryn Edin, $2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America

“What with the doctrines that are now widely accepted and the policies accordingly expected from the monetary authorities, there can be little doubt that current union policies must lead to continuous and progressive infl ation. The chief reason for this is that the dominant “fullemployment” doctrines explicitly relieve the unions of the responsibility for any unemployment and place the duty of preserving full employment on the monetary and fiscal authorities. The only way in which the latter can prevent union policy from producing unemployment is, however, to counter through inflation whatever excessive rises in real wages unions tend to cause.”
― Friedrich A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty

“The chief signifi cance of the comprehensive systems of unemployment compensation that have been adopted in all Western countries, however, is that they operate in a labor market dominated by the coercive action of unions and that they have been designed under strong union influence with the aim of assisting the unions in their wage policies. A system in which a worker is regarded as unable to fi nd employment and therefore is entitled to benefit because the workers in the fi rm or industry in which he seeks employment are on strike necessarily becomes a major support of union wage pressure. Such a system, which relieves the unions of the responsibility for the unemployment that their policies create and which places on the state the burden not merely of maintaining but of keeping content those who are kept out of jobs by them, can in the long run only make the employment problem more acute.”
― Friedrich A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty

“A po-lice gimme a reference. He tell me I better get my ass gainfully employ...”
― John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces

“Precipitous decisions by companies pertaining to employees, devoid of documented established ground of denial of any of the demands or rights sought by the employees, or as adumbrated in law, would be construed in all probability unpalatable by the labor department and Judiciary.”
― Henrietta Newton Martin

“There were times when I had to face problems that were of a tribal nature and unless I could solve them instantly they would fester and eventually lead to unexpected consequences or perhaps even my death. I encountered this sort of situation with my steward Henry Roland Cavalla. At the time he had a financial problem at home because of gambling and asked for a raise in pay, which I was not authorized to give. To do so would cause problems with the other crew members who could all justify a pay raise for one reason or another.
It must have been the umpteenth time that he Henry had approached me with this request and as usual I turned him down with an explanation as to why. At times I would give him a few extra dollars out of my pocket but this time I reacted with a curt “No! I told you how it works countless times!” Although this time was no different than the other times Henry reacted violently. Lunging forward he bit me through my shirt with teeth that had been sharpened with a file. Fortunately my Bosun Togar was there and jumped into the fray. Holding Henry at bay I went to my head (bathroom) and after pouring 90% pure alcohol on the wound, covered it with a towel and a new shirt. When I reappeared it was as if nothing had happened. Sitting down at my desk I proceeded to read the regulations by which I could fire him and even turn him over to the police…. Crying he begged for forgiveness, telling me how financially strapped he was and how much he needed this job. Togar even added that he knew how much Henry needed the job and that he had never had a problem with me and could I give him another chance. In the end I suspended Henry for a month telling him and to go back to his village and straighten things out. He never knew how severe my wound was but it did heal, however I carried a very visable scar for years.”
― Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater Two...."

“You want a story? Fine I'll tell you a story. a true story. Back in 2009. A lot of things were going wrong in 2009… I would go to a room to talk to lawyers about various employers not paying their people enough money. Different thoughts would run through my head. For instance, why, instead of just paying people their wages (it’s not that hard, minimum wage plus overtime where applicable) is this business paying a ridiculous lawyer to come and try to bullshit me… or something. A few years later a different thought would pop in my mind from time to time. Why would the United states federal government hire a hardcore alcoholic like myself (thanks to the University of Michigan) to enforce these Labor laws and run around with a badge and stuff. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one.”
― Dmitry Dyatlov

“The law cannot organize labor and industry without organizing injustice.”
― Bastiat Frédéric, The Law