Silence?

So, has anyone seen a statement from the governor or the Secretary of Labor about yesterday's workplace tragedy?

I can't find anything.

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Paging Cherie K. Berry

Been doing your job much lately?

A major explosion hit a ConAgra food plant Tuesday, sending suspected ammonia fumes in the air and blocking access for a half-mile in all directions.

Family members were trying to reach employees of the plant on Jones Sausage Road, and were being escorted from a nearby Wilco Hess gas station.

Reports from the scene are that people were injured from the explosion and the ammonia fumes.

UDPDATE: This article gives a little background on how Ms. Berry has been missing in action for much of her term as labor Secretary of the state of North Carolina.

A Charlotte Observer investigation last year found that penalties for serious workplace violations in the state's manufacturing plants are less than half the national average. Some poultry processing plants haven't been inspected in more than five years.

Berry has said she can do more to improve workplace safety by cooperating with businesses than by levying stiff fines.

Obviously.

UPDATE II:

The 425,000-square-foot plant last was inspected by the North Carolina Department of Labor for workplace safety last July and no violations were found, said Labor Department spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry.

Ooooh, we'd love to read that report and hear comments from anyone who works there.

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Comments section at the N&O

Total control is what they are looking for including your life, that of your children, grandchildren and generations to come. Look what they are doing in large cities with food and beverages. They are banning certain everyday foods like cheeseburgers and sodas that they don't like and are placing extra taxes on the one's they can't ban. Foods with transfats and carbonated drinks are the current targets with more to come. And it is headed our way folks. Just keep voting for them and big brother will be planning your meals for you and dictating what you are allowed to think. They are already working on thought control at UNC. They will recommend propagandizing all students with diversity training.

The story is about a legislative move to strip labor Secretary Cherie K. Berry of her powers of workplace safety enforcement, on the grounds that she's not, you know, doing anything to improve workplace safety.

To be fair, that's a stupid idea. Workplace safety issues properly belong in the Labor Department. If Ms. Berry, who was re-elected again in November, isn't doing her job, the proper remedy is impeachment.

As for the commenter quoted above, let me paraphrase what i've heard so often in my life: "This is America. If you don't like it here, leave."

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