Injured workers mistreated at profitable plants

Transplant automakers are continuing to lead the way when it comes to cost-cutting their way to record profits. Just ask Joe Miskell.

Miskell knows what it’s like to be injured on the job and then face a runaround from the company and dwindling pay. The 38-year-old assembly worker at Toyota in Georgetown, Ky., injured his back on job in early 2007. In constant pain because of the herniated and bulging discs and barely able to walk, he has seen more doctors and had more tests and ineffective treatments than he can count. “Eventually, Toyota’s doctor said I was a ‘high-risk’ employee and asked me how much pain and money is it worth for me to work there?”

Miskell was put in a difficult position that so many of his Toyota co-workers have faced: seeing their good work and attendance records mean nothing when it comes to their employer taking care of them when they’re injured.

“I felt like it was me alone against a big company,” says Miskell. “I had perfect attendance. After I bust my butt for this company, they just threw me out. I was a perfect team member, I got quality awards,” he says.

He’s on disability, but Miskell says Toyota keeps cutting his benefits. Soon, they’ll run out.

“I worked hard there and wanted to stay there my entire life, but once something happens to you they throw you out like a piece of garbage.” Miskell says so many of his co-workers are also injured and are still on the assembly line, afraid to ask for company medical care. “If you walk down the line, 20 percent of the people have some kind of brace or are using pills and rubs to try to treat themselves. They’re scared to tell Toyota they’re hurt because they won’t come back if they do. Once Toyota got on top with sales, they stopped caring.”

For the latest fiscal year, April 1, 2007 through March 31, 2008, Toyota posted profits of $16.54 billion, up 4.5 percent from the previous