ABSURDITY WATCH : Discomfort Zone

Business owners have groused for years about the mountains of government rules and regulations that they claim stand between them and economic viability, if not profitability. Certainly some of their complaints are valid and some have even been addressed by state and local lawmakers.

But then along comes news about how Nabisco Food’s processing plant in Oxnard treats its female employees, reminding us that worker health and safety laws are not designed to torment honorable business people but rather are intended to prevent exploitation of employees.

Eight workers at the Oxnard plant have filed federal sex discrimination complaints accusing Nabisco of so restricting their access to the restroom that some have suffered bladder infections and others have resorted to wearing diapers to work. At the same time, the women charge, male employees at Nabisco are allowed to visit the restroom whenever they want.

Hundreds of women on the plant’s food processing line share 10 to 15 restroom stalls. The women allege that supervisors have limited restroom visits to break times and threatened to dock the pay of those caught sneaking off to use the facilities.

Sadly, these charges are reminiscent of conditions under which farm workers have labored for years, conditions that recur from time to time: field toilets so few, far between and filthy that workers had little choice but to squat on the ground.

It should go without saying that Nabisco’s practice is inhumane. But apparently it needs to be said.