$175,000 a life

Tonawanda Coke was fined $175,000 for murder.

A worker was killed when proper safety training and procedures were not provided and followed. As a result, a worker's jacket was caught in a coke elevator shaft and he was killed.

If I run over or hit someone with my car while I am being negligent I get a fine and jail time. (Unless I am very wealthy and can afford a really good lawyer.)

As a result of the failure of the company to follow safety protocols a number of times the company is being fined a measly $175,000 which it can probably get reduced or dismissed if its lawyers get their say.

And that is the sorry state of capitalism in our community, state, nation, and world.

Do something that harms a worker or community member and get a slap on the wrist.

Threaten Wall Street profits and you have problems.

Then again we need to look at a larger picture. Tonawanda Coke produces coke that is used in smelting and other industrial processes. In this production it produces pollution that injures people in the communities around where the production occurs.

A further step out – Tonawanda Coke produces pollution that leads to global warming and other climate damage. (Go up to the northern Adirondacks. Seriously. There are ponds of all sizes that have no fish or birds because the water is that polluted from acid rain. )

And we are keeping this plant open because? 

Aren't there better ways to work with metals that are less damaging to the environment?

Aren't there better ways to produce goods that are less dangerous to the communities around the plants?

Aren't there better ways to produce products that are less dangerous to the workers?

Why are we using an ancient technology in such an advanced society?

Or perhaps we are not as advanced as we think we are.

Or perhaps capitalism isn't doing the job it claims it can do.

Socialists demand safer working conditions for all workers.

Socialists demand environmentally better ways of producing metals that our society needs for manufacturing.

Socialists demand environmentally better ways of producing the things that our society needs.

Socialists also demand justice for workers injured and killed on the job when the company fails to follow common sense safety practices.

A human life is worth more than $175,000.