Many of us think of child labor as a Dickensian problem squarely situated in the distant past, or perhaps in some far-off land in South Asia or Africa. But the reality is that children still comprise an alarming portion of the workforce here in this country: According to the US Department of Labor, the number of minors employed in violation of child labor increased by 283% between 2015 and 2022. This year alone, 13 states have introduced bills weakening child labor protections, and four have enacted them. And the US is the only United Nations member that refuses to sign on to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified human rights treaty in history. This week on Sea Change Radio, we speak with occupational health and safety expert Richard Hirsh about the problem of child labor in the US. We discuss the white paper on child labor issues that he co-authored, examine the associated educational deprivation, and look at some of the big moneyed interests that are pushing to allow more and more children to enter the American workforce.
Track: Punch Bowl Artist: Alan Parker Album: Kpm 1000 Series: Afro Rock Label: Kpm 1000 Series Year: 1973
Track: I Am A Child Artist: Neil Young Album: Decade Label: Warner Bros. Year: 1977
Track: Jesus Children of America Artist: Stevie Wonder Album: Innervisions Label: Tamla Year: 1977
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