The OSHA Farce or Why Retail Workers Need Labor Unions

The impotence of the federal health and safety law, known as OSHA, is so extreme that it would be comical --- if the consequences weren't so utterly tragic.

After the horrific trampling death of Wal-Mart employee Jdimytai Damour, Brandworkers and many others pointed out the predictable nature of his death: Wal-Mart juices up its customers with marketing tactics to create a door-busting rush on Black Friday yet fails to implement even the most rudimentary plan to deal with the onslaught.

OSHA actually agreed and cited Wal-Mart for failing to implement reasonable crowd control measures to manage the predictable risk. But here's the kicker: OSHA is fining Wal-Mart just $7,000 for the violation. That's not a typo.

What more can we say? The one and only way that retail workers can protect their safety is to get organized and fight for safeguards, rather than relying on the government.