Business lobby for less regulation can kill workers

(16 November 2010) It is a well known fact that there are thousands of lobbyists active in Brussels. Most work for corporations and seek to ensure weak regulations and enforcement. Especially in the area of health and safety there is an almost direct link between soft and weak laws and dangers for workers. And business lies in its lobbying to exaggerate the costs of regulations while downplaying the benefits.

Rory O'Neill, Editor of Hazards magazine www.hazards.org and Professor, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group, University of Stirling, Scotland and the Health, safety and environment officer of International Federation of Journalists compiled an overview of these false arguments of corporate lobbyists. “Business over-estimates costs and ignores benefits with a purpose. It doesn’t want regulations and it doesn’t want enforcement. In the deadly scheme of things, lying so they can leave their workforce in the firing line is the least of their money-motivated crimes. Somewhere down the line, people die when regulatory protection is removed. That’s the ultimate capital crime.

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- Don’t base policy on deadly lies