In the kitchen of a St. Louis restaurant, new workers watch a video on workplace safety, which stresses workers' responsibility for preventing accidents. Actually, Missouri's workers compensation law does not assess responsibility for workplace injuries. The video is part of a concerted effort by restaurant owners to discourage workers from filing compensation claims.
Another boss informed employees that the workers compenmsation program does not exist.
The restaurant industry began its dis-information campaign against workers compensation when the legislature "reformed" the system in 1993, slashing benefits by 34 percent. Emboldened by this victory, the bosses pushed through futher cuts in 1994-95, and got the state to establish an insurance company to cover bosses with safety records so bad that they could not buy workers compensation policies in the open market. While the Missouri legislature says it can't afford to properly fund welfare, public schools, or treatment programs for the mentally ill, but they have no problem finding the money to subsidize irresponsible bosses!
After savaging workers compensation, the restaurant industry launched its campaign of disinformation, telling workers that if they were in any way at fault in an accident they were not entitled to workers compensation - a bald-faced lie. But without unions in the industry, many workers fall for this propaganda, enabling the bosses to cut their insurance premiums even further.
¨ Robert Rice
