Employees, Taxpayers Are Penalized by Government’s Garment Shop Raids

Re “Labor Officials Raid 14 Garment Makers” (Feb. 21): These raids are a genuine puzzlement. How is exploitation of workers prevented when the government puts companies out of business?

Who benefits from these raids?

The only beneficiaries I see are the labor unions and high-wage manufacturers (if there are any left) who benefit from the elimination of low-priced competition. And, of course, the government benefits because it collects big fines and reminds everyone who’s “boss.”

Consider what’s really happening here:

* The employer is penalized for taking the risk of creating a business.

* The employees are frightened of employment and are therefore given greater incentives to perform government-approved activities and go on welfare. Just what we need.

* The taxpayer, an innocent bystander, is forced to pay higher taxes to support the people thrown out of work.

* The consumer loses opportunities to buy cheaper clothing.

* Even the children involved learn the wrong lesson, that work is a disapproved activity.

This is a perfect example of how social welfare legislation actually penalizes the very people it is designed to help. And how government makes life even harder for people at the bottom of the economic ladder. How can people climb the ladder of success when government keeps knocking them off?

This misguided attempt at punishing employers actually results in increased unemployment and higher taxes.

The pay may be low, the conditions horrible, but it still may be better than what they came from. As long as each person’s employment is voluntary, the government should simply butt out. It should never penalize honest labor.

Let these people earn their way to success in a genuinely free market. When they have the skills and capabilities to earn more, they’ll be glad to change jobs without the help of self-righteous government.

DON HULL, Costa Mesa