NY Times 'Ethicist': When Layoffs Are Immoral

NY Times ^ | May 26, 2009 | By Randy Cohen

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Caterpillar, the heavy equipment manufacturer, is moving to lay off more than 20,000 workers. These days such mass layoffs are sadly unsurprising, but are they ethical?

If Caterpillar is to relegate legions of employees to the care of the public, it may not simply echo Ebenezer Scrooge: “Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? Is there no COBRA?” Instead, it must use its considerable political clout to ensure that those programs are robustly funded, hardly a priority either for Caterpillar or its confreres among the Fortune 500. That is, if Caterpillar is to deprive thousands of people of a livelihood, it must either provide for their basic needs or see that the public can do so. To do neither is to dodge a moral obligation.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Free market capitalism is immoral.

[mort56]

The New York Times is immoral

[Maelstorm]

Is everything supposed to be ran like a government charity?

[Boiling Pots]

The purpose of a company is to make a profit for its owners, PERIOD.

Workers are privileged to have a job, its NEVER a right.

(But I guess it’s OK when the NYT lays off their employees)

[sickoflibs]

NYTimes layoffs did all this?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I wonder how he will feel when Government Motors starts laying EVERYBODY off?

[subterfuge]

The Times has an “Ethicist” and it’s no wonder they are failing.

[Big_Monkey]

From the NYT's about the Author, Randy Cohen...

"His first television work was writing for "Late Night With David Letterman," for which he won three Emmy Awards

That should tell everyone everything that they need to know about the author and the depth of his stupidity.

[Red in Blue PA]

Wonder what the Times “Ethicist” thinks about a newspaper spiking a story?

[G Larry]

Please explain to BO that crippling the American economy and industry with his taxes and phony carbon restrictions will only make it safe for totalitarian rule.....

Oh...you mean he already knows that?....oh....

[y6162]

Randy ..your days are numbered...blame pinch.

[KarlInOhio]

His article says "Caterpillar must provide lifetime wages for everyone ever hired", but his heart says "The New York Times must...."

How can Pinch lay off a single person before he has personally bankrupted himself and his family.

[GeronL]

what could we expect from the NY Times??

The company is laying people off because they cannot make money in the present atmosphere. I guess the Times thinks that they should fund the laid off forever??

does the TIMES know or care that this would lead to shutting down of companies?? Who will pay taxes then??

[plumcrazy]

The article is bad enough but expected from the NYT. The comments under this article are quite disturbing indeed. Those comments are worse than the article!

[TheWasteLand]

Wow. Quite an insight into the NYT mindset.

[gridlock]

I love reading the NY Times Ethicist column, because this guy is always wrong. Without fail

[griswold3]

Is it proper use of the media to disparage a company when it contradicts the Messiah’s message?

Obama’s characterization of ‘saving jobs by passing the recovery bill’ during his speech at CAT was a lie. Everyone at the speech knew it.

[Billthedrill]

Hey Pub’, get a load of this guy. Bertram Scudder? LOL!

[EBH]

Uh...the company more than likely pays into the Unemployment Compensation Fund of the State and Union if one is involved.

[dalereed]

This commie should be in North Korea and not polluting a paper here with her filth.

Companies don't owe employees anything but a paycheck AS LONG AS THEY ARE NEEDED and are performing the specified work satisfactorily..