Mgmt Morally Liable for Employees' Deaths: Poor Working Conditions - Essay Sample

Introduction

Yes, they should be held morally accountable for the deaths of the twenty-nine employees. The management failed to observe some critical principles in maintaining the safety of its employees. The working conditions at the company was a sweatshop, “a workplace that has numerous health and safety hazards and poor working conditions, 1st ethical principle, page 420” (Velasquez & Velazquez, 2013). Failing to provide the upper branch miners with adequate working conditions was a violation of human rights. In support of employees’ rights, a company should afford its employees the same rights the government provides its citizens. It is the similarity argument “similarities between the power of management and government imply employees should have rights similar to citizens’ rights, 2nd ethical principle, page 423” (Velasquez & Velazquez, 2013). Also, the company forced the miners to accept job risks to avoid being unemployed. The threats at the upper branch were unjustified .“Job risks are not justified when labor markets are uncompetitive, and risks are unknown and uncompensated, 3rd ethical principle, page 419” (Velasquez & Velazquez, 2013).

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The management failed to fulfill some ethical obligations to the employees. The management acted morally inappropriate in not providing adequate working conditions. The management is ethically accountable for lousy working conditions. If the management “can and should improve the working conditions, 1st ethical principle, page 420” (Velasquez & Velazquez, 2013), “know about the risks, 2nd ethical principle, page 420) and (the employer is not prevented from changing them, 3rd ethical principle, page 420” (Velasquez & Velazquez, 2013). The management knew about the risks, and could have improved the working conditions but did do so. In forcing the miners to work under the known risks, the company also failed to fulfill the practical obligations. They only focused on maximizing profits at the expense of the miners’ safety. The management seemed to threaten the miners with unemployment, reminding them that it pays their bills and that they run the risk of being fired; this was not legally right.

With the new covid-19 pandemic rapidly spreading worldwide, employees’ safety issues and challenges have been brought up as a result. Employees are at a higher risk of getting infected by the disease. Organizations should prioritize the safety of employees at the workplace; they have an ethical responsibility to protect the welfare of the employees during these times. Employees should be aware of OSHA laws that protect them, the most relevant clause at this time is a general duty clause requiring employers to provide a working environment free from dangers likely to cause physical harm or death.

Reference

Velasquez, M.G., Velazquez, M. (2013). Business Ethics. Concepts and Cases, 415-430. 7th Edition1, Pearson