I’ve always firmly believed that we need laws in place to protect workers. I think the majority of companies will pay as little as they can get by with paying and would even work children if they could. So we need minimum wage laws and child labor laws. Also, other employment laws are important, too, such as the laws that regulate how overtime works and how often people need breaks. There are proponents of throwing out these laws, but the problem is that historically, we’ve seen that if companies can abuse workers, they will. The opposite of this also happily happens and there are some companies that go above and beyond to take care of their workers and treat them fairly, and that includes a fair living wage. The funny story below perfectly illustrates this. At first, you’re feeling sorry for the old hand in this joke, but you quickly get the picture. Enjoy!
A man owned a small ranch near Sheridan, Wyoming. The Wyoming Labor Department got a tip that he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an investigator out to interview him.
”I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them”, demanded the investigator.
”Well”, replied the rancher.
”There’s my ranch hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $1200 a week plus free room and board”.
He continued:
”The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $1000 per week plus free room and board”.
Brett Sayles, Pexels
”Then there’s the half-wit. He works about 18 hours every day, with no days off, and does about 90% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week and pays his own room and board”.
The ranch owner stared at the investigator. and then said:
”But, I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night, and he also sleeps with my wife occasionally”.
”That’s the guy I want to talk to… the half-wit”, says the investigator.
”You’re talking to him”, replied the rancher.
