Job Security

* Re “Job Security? It’s Just an Illusion,” Commentary, Sept. 19: In criticizing the doctrine of “at-will employment,” Reginald Alleyne frequently mentions that employment at will is dead in other industrialized nations. By this, one can assume he means primarily the European Union.

What he does not mention is that unemployment in the EU averages over 11% of the work force, as opposed to 6% here. Most economists agree that one of the reasons for the fact that, even during a recession, U.S. unemployment levels never approach European levels is the flexibility of American labor laws, specifically the facility with which employers can hire and fire workers.

Changing our employment system, a system that has consistently given us the lowest unemployment in the Western World seems nothing short of insane.

JERRY BOURBON

San Diego