Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing | Robert Reich

Corporations are now using the “labor shortage” as an excuse to bring back child labor. It’s part of a horrifying trend: Since 2015, child labor violations have risen nearly 300%.
Major companies like General Mills, Walmart, and McDonald’s have all been implicated.
Are corporate profits really more important than the safety of children?

[@michaelgillespie1206]

There's not a labor shortage, businesses just don't want to pay a decent living wage.

[@scooooter37]

@@Zach-ju5vi What children are being employed as skilled workers? They don’t want to pay high enough wages to entice adult “unskilled” workers, so they’re turning to child labor. Funny how they price gouge because “ that’s what the market demands”, but refuse to apply the same principles to when it comes to paying labor.

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Zachoff the corporate bootlicking troll is back as I predicted spewing nonsense for our amusement. hahaha

[@coyoteclockworkstudios3140]

@@Zach-ju5vi Skilled/unskilled are BS. Labor is labor. It's just propaganda to divide the working class. No gods, no masters, no war but a class war.

[@normanclatcher]

​@@Zach-ju5viNo worker is without skill, and no skill is precisely untrainable.

[@iaimboti]

@@Zach-ju5vi More automation = less people have money, and less people having money means less people can buy good, which then turns into more stealing.

[@faemomofdragons]

Two weeks ago, I had my junior English class research labor laws and make flyers to educate teenagers on what they need to know. I did this because 3 of my students slept through my class and apologized because their bosses made them close the night before.

[@D0MiN0ChAn]

Bless you. And these students.

[@Neku628]

I am glad that you aren't blaming your students.

[@ft9kop]

While I was working at TJ Maxx years ago, one of my supervisors was a high school senior, and bc she was already 18, the managers worked her until 11:30 PM on school nights during Christmas season in the midst of midterms attending a private prep school. Insane, really. No compassion. The government sets the benchmark for morality in capitalism....

[@Neku628]

@@ft9kop they can never be satisfied with the money their employees are already making them, wages their employees don't even see.

[@julianmarsh8384]

Where the hell are the parents? If someone did that to my daughter, I'd be paying them a visit and you can be sure it would not happen again.

[@kiraward1125]

One of the most serious problems with the new child labor laws is that corporations are not required to give compensation to minors that are injured on the job. Either Arkansas or one of the Dakotas literally wrote that into their law. Meaning if your child gets maimed, suffers chemical burns or even gets a minor scrape the company is not forced to give your child workers compensation. One of them went so far as to write in that the corporation will not suffer legal consequences of any type if a child is injured on the job. Not sure if either of those made it into final bills, however it will not surprise me if they did.

[@aiiiia9971]

I didn't know that, frankly I am APPALLED.

[@shoulderpyro]

That sounds a lot like the industrial revolution era of workers. "Cant turn off the machine while cleaning it. Oh, what's that, the machine cut off your arm? ...Not our problem, you should've been more careful. We are not legally responsible for anything"

[@nsacockroach4099]

How anyone can't see the republican party as evil is beyond me. Wtf?

[@RoundShades]

Imagine needing to legislate child worker compensation. Next you'll be complaining about those young bums getting injured early to falsely claim benefits for life. This sounds like a prime supporting argument against child labor. Can't injure children at work if they ain't at work. 🤷

[@enzobatista8467]

Seems like the good old boom boom will need to be at work.

[@babiesandbuddies]

Child workers have been around for years. I'm in Minnesota and since the early 1990s, my county has an "educational program" for low-income families (however , it's now for at-risk youth rather than targeting only low-income) In this program, 12-15 year old kids are allowed to work full time in this program during the summer months working below minimum wage. My husband spent his summers working for the county doing office work, bike repairs, cooking pizza and hotdogs at the pool, and working in the city garden. Its promoted as this wonderful humanitarian program, but it's used as a way to exploit low-income or kids from abusive homes.

[@BenHeckHacks]

There's a bill next door in Wisconsin for 14 year olds TO SERVE BEER because of the labor shortage Robert doesn't address whatsoever. Our COVID response was the root cause.

[@babiesandbuddies]

@@BenHeckHacks That's heartbreaking. 😞 I have a 13 year old and she's still playing with toys and watching cartoons after school. She's no where near ready to be serving alcohol to belligerent customers. No kids are ready for that crap. 💔

[@moto_rad]

That sounds like a great program

[@EagleZtoTheGrave]

​@@babiesandbuddies What about working at a video game or toy store, maybe places like build a bear or book store? I think there's a healthy middle ground that will get missed here between those who want to exploit children,vs those with good intent who will keep children from having a chance to get ahead in life, & learn how things work. Let them have a shot to take their life & destiny into their own hands. We waste a lot of time collectively anyway, especially as youth, why not spend some of it making money? By the time you're ready for college, maybe you can afford your own car & pay for some secondary education. You may even learn school isnt for you, have job experience under your belt, & line up for a manager position, no debt, bright future.

[@TheMoggFREE]

@@EagleZtoTheGrave as long as the pay is good

[@SenatiaA]

This is why corporations were screaming that people didn't want to work while adults were looking for work but not getting the work. How did I miss that? 🤦🏿‍♀️

[@wispisang]

I’m a new adult, and it took me 8 MONTHS to find a job that would take me, and I was qualified for all of them and received government help in finding them. I know the main reason a lot of those people didn’t hire me was because of the fact I am autistic and they just don’t want to give me a chance, and it drove my mother and job coach insane because they both know how capable I am. I can pretty easily pass as neurotypical, I wasn’t actually diagnosed until the end of my high school year. I’m one of my bosses favorite workers, I get my job done well and she lets me know how much she appreciates me. Often times I am the one left doing the main part of the job while she makes my other neurotypical coworkers assist me. I work for a small business, I get shit done, but all those businesses simply didn’t hire me because all they saw was my “autistic” label. My boss allows me the accommodations I need for when I have extreme sensory overload and meltdowns, which is usually only once a month. One or two days of the month I have extreme issues that cause me to miss work. Most companies don’t want to have to deal with that, and yet they’ll still complain that they can’t find people to hire. They’re all right here! You just don’t want to have to deal with “undesirables” Easier to make AI or exploitable children do the work, huh?

[@benjackson7872]

@@wispisangIt’s funny when companies and the previous generation complain that we “don’t wanna work” then scratch their heads whenever they struggle. It’s pretty simple why: I’m stating the obvious, but these companies don’t pay well for you to sustain yourself off of, mistreat you even whenever possible, and are out of touch with how things are/should be done and don’t really listen whenever that’s pointed out. They may acknowledge the problem, but may sweet talk their reasoning as to why this broken system is fine. It may sound so, but the cracks have been clearly showing these few years. People want to work if their time and actions are valued and lead to something meaningful. As of now, most people don’t feel that way. If there’s one good thing that came out of this pandemic, it’s that people are waking up and realizing this isn’t working. They’re putting their foot down and saying “no more”. It’s actually funny how shocked and confused these companies are realizing nobody wants to kiss their asses anymore. Nobody wants to be treated like dogshit. What we want are higher wages, reduced hours (6), more benefits that don’t require a year before accessibility, and a better work-life balance. That’s something everyone needs and what many are sorely lacking. Hustle culture should’ve died by this point. While you do need to put yourself out there, it shouldn’t come at the cost of your own health. Hate to say it, but some of these jobs just aren’t worth it anymore. I’m regards to Autism, yes that’s another issue. Many still struggle with employment and it’s both sad and frustrating like you said. There was a law passed in the 90’s to curve that, but it may’ve created the unintended consequence of companies just not hiring people with disabilities any more than necessary. Sorry for the long comment, I just felt this needed to be said. Rant over.😁

[@iceneko9170]

geez. ive been job hunting for 4 months now and haven't been able to land one. employers dont want to hire employees with no experience to do their minimum wage jobs. this is part of the issue not only do they give low pay+mediocre conditions, but they want people to fill in for two or three roles *and* be above their qualifications to even get in an entry level job. like bruh, these retail jobs advertise that they're entry level with no experience. then they have the audacity to complain that nobody wants to work.

[@benjackson7872]

@@iceneko9170 That sounds about right; they really don’t want what they say.

[@TrepidDestiny]

@@wispisang I spent 9 months last year looking for work. I even applied to places like Costco and harbor freight. Well over a dozen interviews and dozens more applications. Finally linked up with the right recruiter looking for the right skills at the right time.

[@michaelsoltesz3779]

I started working at 15. The idea was character building and learning the value of money. What I learned is how grotesque and corrupt workplaces are. The horrible people in charge and what they truly value. Enjoy your childhood if you can. Losing it leaves a massive hole in your life, which many people fill with drugs or consumerism.

[@chey7691]

And lose chances at education that could give them a clue at a better future that is not in the system built around them to extort them. Creating a larger division and inequality between working and owning class. It's by design, there is a reason we stayed away from it they want it back to have another "guilded age" even if children may die to get them there. We understand that for the idea of freedom to work we all had to have a chance *equally* or all of it means nothing.

[@serafinacosta7118]

Drugs and consumerism , I highly doubt. You got the taste of hard work. Early in life. If you were not maimed , it is a blessing in disguise. You are battle tested. And yes, workplaces , toxic ones. They are plenty around. You deal with them. There are a few tube channels to teach you how to avoid them.

[@Nonsequitoria2010]

My brother skipped high school to care for our sick grandparents and got his GED at 20. He's often said that being able to choose work and education for himself made a big impact on how he valued it all, and that having some kind of choice in the matter could be a huge benefit for older teens. There's obviously a lot of thought that needs to go into the idea, but I think it holds merit. If I had known in my teens how miserable the general workplace is, I could have made better choices in my adulthood, and had a better idea of what I could do to change it in my community. Honestly, high school was hardly better, and I didn't have the option to up and quit and enroll at the place across the street, you know? I would have SO much rather gone to work and gotten a head start on savings and a career, and a lot of kids in my graduating class felt the same.

[@michaelsoltesz3779]

@@Nonsequitoria2010 Absolutely. I had very little situational awareness while within the education system. It is difficult or impossible to expect children to understand the big picture while stuck there. They (we) are trusting the people in charge to make the “best” decisions for them as they develop. America has a very strange culture when it comes to education. Paying ludicrous amounts of money for disinterested baby sitters. If you want an educated public, you have to prioritize and make those services available. Fund them. Many have pointed out that the “decisions” politicians make, show what they truly value. Education empowers the individual. There are many in our culture who would prefer that power was weak or nonexistent. It gets in the way of controlling others. Thank you for commenting in a civilized manner. 🥰

[@serafinacosta7118]

@@Nonsequitoria2010 fair said. Always keep in mind, there is education and then there is schooling. Schooling is what you get in classrooms, or any other form that generates some certificate. Education is what you learn through doing and getting mentoring. The later seldom found at any school.

[@tzisorey]

"Are corporate profits more important than child safety" See, the problem is that there are people who will unironically answer "Yes" to that question. And those people, are the people in charge.

[@aiiiia9971]

This ^

[@tarkov666]

Sadly, lot of these companies already were supported by child labor overseas. Sometimes unknowingly sometimes not.

[@tidaltempest1852]

I have a theory that they want to use child labor here in the states for convenience. Why go to China and pay for goods to travel oversea. If they can simply get people desperate enough to get thier children to work.

[@thecursed01]

Ppl want child labor and horrible working conditions. That's why they buy made in china and say everytjing else is too expensive (having to save 13 months instead of 12 for a smartphone seems to be cruel). Well if you only pay for child labor and horrible conditions, don't cry when everything else either adapts or goes broke

[@emilysmith2965]

That’s an oversimplification and it puts disproportionate responsibility on the individual consumer. My dad was determined to buy only American-made toys for me as a baby (many of his college classmates were foreign exchange students who lost family and friends in Tianenmen Square). But there were none to be found. There WAS no market alternative, already, in the early ‘90s. Translation: even individuals who WANT something else, are scarcely able to find it. AND even if they did, an increasing proportion of products “Proudly Made in America” are made by the same vulnerable child workers you profess to be avoiding. “Seeing them as a ‘them’ instead of an ‘us’” is a huge part of the problem. You SEE “Made in America” and you ASSUME that blue-collar white adults made it. God, it’s like you didn’t even watch the video. Just… be aware, okay? Catch yourself when you make so many assumptions.

[@tiptonbrett]

5. Make C-level executives liable for severe criminal penalties if the corporation breaks child labor laws.

[@nicholasgallanis7539]

Fines just become the cost of doing business, dissolve their business license or jail time would be costs too high to keep doing this!

[@tiptonbrett]

@@nicholasgallanis7539 I would agree fines really do nothing. Fines would be taken out of the corporation's assets. That's why you need to make the decision makers criminally liable. I'm not sure dissolving business licenses would do much. Take a huge meat packer. If you dissolve their business license, many of the workers are going to lose their jobs. Taking away a business license harms the business and there are people that depend on that business. It's the decision makers that need to be targeted with fierce criminal penalties.

[@adria89]

I wish they could have their salaries given to the children when they get caught. Fantasy, I know ...

[@rebeccarittenhouse2203]

Fines are never high enough to make them stop. Where as citizens they strip us of everything we own when we break a law. Hell we dont even have to break laws anymore, they just have to say they think we did, or someone we know did and away goes your things and you will have to pay a third party more than the things are worth to get them back. Its really surprising the government hasn’t started to hold our children hostage yet.

[@dioxideuniversal]

@@tiptonbrett It's practically gotten to where nothing qualifies as "white collar crime" anymore. The justice system doesn't work. They have so much that any monetary penalty is just a slap on the wrist *at best.*

[@els1f]

"haven't we learned?" When one entire half of the country is obsessed with stopping schools from teaching anything remotely factual (ESPECIALLY about history, race and labor) no, no we will not be learning a whole lot from the past😒

[@adria89]

Sad, but true

[@adamkalb1]

I wish there was a way to force that fact-denying half of the country to learn anything, but they almost always find a way to let their opinions matter more to them to shield them from reality checks.

[@DeltaNovum]

I don't think there exists a country on this earth where the ruling class isn't corrupt, taking advantage of the working class (this is anyone who works for someone else) and trying to brainwash their constituents through propaganda, but the United States of America is doing it so extremely and unbelievably blatant right in your face! There must be going on something special there. If you'd try this in Europe people would actually revolt. I genuinely wonder if it has anything to do with all the lead that used to be in car exhaust fumes? Anyone else got some idea why it's possible that the ruling class acts like this right in front of the general public and that the general public doesn't really stand up for themselves, in the good ol US of A?

[@notaspy1227]

Most of the country thought Jesus was white and existed so the bars already pretty low.

[@bradleyp3655]

Knowledge is means death for the ruling class. Keep the population occupied (working) and ignorant (uneducated) is the Neoliberal mantra in the USA.

[@mdempsey7128]

My first job was for a family owned bakery. I was hired the summer before I began high school. In the summers they gave me all the shifts I could handle but once school started it was weekend shifts only and my boss insisted on shorter shifts to accommodate schoolwork and extra curricular things. I ended up working for them through college. That’s honestly the way it should be. I’m lucky to have had that experience.

[@thebanditman5663]

Values are sadly lacking in society today.

[@North_West1]

Most state have an exception to all child labor laws in family owed business. No age or salary rules.

[@isthattrue1083]

I'm seriously good friends with the current director of the DOL. Yes, he has told me repeatedly that they keep getting defunded and their power stripped away. That's why they are so slow to investigate companies, etc. He's literally doing the jobs of 9 people by himself because they don't even get the funding for a full staff.

[@kalynbinder5624]

That's awful

[@lightwavesolutions4300]

If he can do the jobs of 9 people at the same time he should quit and get hired at nine times his current pay by a resourceful business. Unless of course he's just doing the jobs of 9 government workers, which means he might could pick up the over night managers job at a convenience store.

[@metacapitalism5113]

I am sad to say this Robert but I have no faith left in America. I only want to get my children out of this country.

[@brianzembruski5485]

Sometimes it's for the best.

[@760mom]

Oh man, great. Now WE'RE the shit hole country.

[@noahpartic7586]

Who could blame you?

[@paulj6756]

Taking my family to live in Germany.

[@DracoMagnius]

I wish I could leave this country, but I'm too poor to do so.

[@nicollaney]

I disagree with fines we need to hold corporate executives and CEOs liable instead of just depending on fines to make this bad practice stop.

[@DracoMagnius]

I think we need both massive fines and serious jail time. Maybe that would get the point across.

[@irishhi8333]

The fines need to based on percentages instead of set amounts. A $15,000 fine (even per child) just doesn't affect a wealthy corporation as it once might have.

[@oswarz]

@@DracoMagnius Not in this society. When's the last time a billionaire went to jail? Oh, yes. Martha Stewart. Is she billionaire?

[@MrMarinus18]

I think corporate fines need to become relative. Some countries have relative fines on individuals where if you have more wealth and/or higher income you pay more for a speeding ticket. I think corporate fines should be relative to their stock price. Like if Amazon were fined 0,25% of it's stock value for union busting that means 3.25 billion dollars. Amazon will actually somewhat feel that and it will help bring in some much needed dollars to the state treasury. It would also serve as an incentive against stock manipulation. Since making your stocks higher than the actual value of your company will mean you might get fines you can't actually pay.

[@tnijoo5109]

@@MrMarinus18 yes!!!!! I like that idea! And make it a criminal offense.

[@dawnshimmer7341]

"Labor shortages" Meanwhile I'm an able adult capable of performing almost all physical job activities and yet I haven't been able to get a job for nearly a month. And I'm literally saying "anything, minimum wage or more" when asked how much I expect to be paid.

[@aiiiia9971]

Absurd truly absurd

[@thomasfeatherstone8817]

Do you not have a car, in school, or have a place to live? This I do not believe.

[@gloria4097]

​@thomasfeatherstone8817 believe it buddy, that's the way it is a lot now. Buisnesses are cutting back their hours and laying more responsibilities on very few people while still paying them barely above minimum wage.

[@phatchick96]

This is sickening. Kids deserve to be kids, not underpaid labor for greedy companies that don't want to pay adults living wages. The main reason for the "labor shortage" is that we're finally waking up to the fact that we're selling hours of our lives tp employers and all to often selling them at bargain prices.

[@mazer4112]

Child labor,kidnapping and forced labor, sexual slavery…all very serious issues in many countries today. Absolutely sickening

[@nerfherder4284]

Too bad Americans only care when it's one of their own...

[@resphantom]

I also hate how people twist and manipulate words to make things sound softer and less serious than they are. "A kid has passed away while volunteering at a food managing shelter." vs "A kid died by accidentally cutting a hole in his stomach while working at a slaughter house."

[@kreativeforce532]

mainly usa

[@resphantom]

@@kreativeforce532 Oh dude, usa is not the only one that uses double speak, but they did coin the term. Also for child labour, that's almost everywhere except Europe. Those Chinese, Indian, African, Brazilian products may or may not all have child labour in them.

[@Mr.Patrick_Hung]

​@@resphantomI can't speak for those other places, but child labour would not be tolerated in today's China. I live here and I know, the government would come down on anyone doing that so hard and heavy that I don't want to think about it. I wonder why Americas tolerate such abuse.

[@supercommie]

During the Industrial Revolution we have seen what wage suppression by means of child labour can do for an Economy. Do Republicans just avoid studying history?

[@Klako-ls6yt]

Oh, they know the history. That's precisely why they're trying to roll back child labor protections.

[@adria89]

Yes

[@Spock_Rogers]

Deliberately.

[@thomasallen531]

that is why they want to kill as much funding to public schools as possible. An uneducated populous is easier to exploit, manipulate and control. That is why so may of the poorest states are deep red states.

[@Roguefem76]

Hell no, they read it for tips on how to screw workers.

[@petergohan]

There's no shortage of labor, companies just don't want to pay a fair wage to adults.

[@lynnespinoza4736]

When I was 16, Cici's pizza paid me $4.25 an hour full-time. They said it was because I was underage, but I still lived on my own and paid all my own bills. 14-18 are the worst ages for those on their own or arent fortunate to have a stable support system. Hang in there, kids. It ain't easy. 💔

[@krokodyl1927]

The existing fines per child working that are currently levied against corporations ARE A F’KING JOKE!! 👎😡 These fines need to be increased exponentially!! Furthermore, these corporations should be taxed much much more than the existing tax they pay!! This situation is very upsetting. 😦

[@SweetLilWren]

Fines are just a fee rich ppl pay to break the law

[@michaelsoltesz3779]

Absolutely. The fines should bankrupt them. Then they will have meaning. If someone has billions to pay fines and continue breaking the law, then fine them accordingly. Take their entire estate away and pay the workers.

[@jollyrodger5319]

Jail time is needed to stop it. No fine is bigger than jail.

[@krokodyl1927]

@@jollyrodger5319 I agree, but it has to be a SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PRISON TIME.

[@lorekeeper685]

Arrest them and fine them

[@wtfdoino605]

CEO and boards need to be doing time not corporate entities paying fines.

[@oswarz]

Ah, but the laws governing corporate bodies do not allow that. (and who wrote the laws? Think about it.)

[@andreah6379]

And those fines which these pos CEOs can write off on their taxes! After FOX lost it's case with Dominion, I read that the cost of the lawsuit FOX lost, they can still write off that amount on their taxes. Corporations are screwing us all!

[@SharienGaming]

@John Jensen you are still thinking too small - how does half a years worth of total company revenue sound? i would say thats a good start to curb this crap

[@jollyrodger5319]

💯 Truth

[@jollyrodger5319]

If you're a small family-owned business you will do time but if you're a mega global corporation will only pay a fine and a small one at that. It's got to be bigger fines and jail time for the CEO

[@ashram12]

It's just shameful. This is why regulations are needed, because business people can't be trusted to make moral decisions.

[@advocacynaccountablity]

There IS NO labor shortage. Only the willingness of corporations to pay *fair* wages.

[@hegyak]

Profits over People. That's the Republican way.

[@Ale-ft4re]

and democrat as well

[@hegyak]

@@Ale-ft4re Not all Democrats, I would hope. Most, sure. I will give you that. But there a few I hope against all hope that are not Corporate shills.

[@stevechance150]

What's it say on our dollar bills? "In Profits We Trust"?

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Ale-ft4re Some yes all no.

[@bobasquid3339]

Yup. Just look at how they handled COVID. "Go out and die for your company". That's exactly what happened. Over millions dead. They only felt bad about it when they realized all those deaths equaled job losses for the economy. Republicans are disgusting cave dwellers.

[@timlonggone]

Yes it is greed: evil greedy power hungry money mongers.

[@oswarz]

And their name is. . .CAPITALIST. "It's the System, stupid".

[@richardfeverel99]

Why are we always talking about fines? Prosecute employers who exploit child labor under something like criminal child trafficking laws. For reference, the UNICEF definition of child trafficking is "the recruitment and/or transfer, harbouring or receipt of children for the purposes of exploitation". Under this definition, children don't necessarily need to be kidnapped or transported long distances to be trafficked (though that type of abuse does occur). Children simply have to be RECRUITED for the purposes of EXPLOITATION, which pretty much covers all child labour that is detrimental to a child's life, but allows non-exploitative work such as part-time summer jobs for teens in safe environments. If criminal child exploitation laws were enacted, and then rigorously enforced with jail time, you'd actually see employers avoid child labor like the plague.

[@Coconutsin]

In Idaho it is LEGAL to hire children (under 16) at $4.50. I’ve been applying once a week for two months at super one food to be a cashier because it says hiring at the door. Never got a callback. But new children are always being hired…. Labor shortage? Or corporate greed?

[@blackmage471]

As FDR once said, "no business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By 'business' I mean the whole of commerce as well as the whole of industry; by 'workers' I mean all workers, the white collar class as well as the men in overalls; and by 'living wages' I mean more than a bare subsistence level - I mean the wages of decent living."

[@MrMarinus18]

We should change the system of the minimum wage. Have economists assigned who keep an eye on the prices of everyday goods and rent and other things of that nature and adjust the minimum wage accordingly. This would also provide an incentive for corporations against raising prices as they know the wages will go up the following year.

[@GrandmaCathy]

This!!❤

[@vebdaklu]

Nowadays, the typical response to that would be "that's socialism/communism!".

[@MrMarinus18]

@@vebdaklu That's not a "nowadays" thing. That was so at the time and FDR only won by a narrow margin against the much more heavily backed republican candidate. There was even a scheme to assasinate FDR in the name of "protecting America from bolshivism" though this failed.

[@centeroftheuniverse]

​@@MrMarinus18 That is a really good idea. We do this for things like gas already. Next would be to make all wages have this as well. Something like instead of companies offering $27 a hour the offer would be minimum wage + $20. That would insure all companies labor cost go up when companies start to price gouge us. The downside though is companies will start to cut their own labor force.

[@mqtty72]

It's not just the safety of children, it's their childhood being stolen, the only enjoyable part of life there is for most.

[@serafinacosta7118]

And creative . And formative.

[@Name..........]

​@@serafinacosta7118adults can be creative your just taught not to be

[@guiltyrich005dj]

My boss at McDonald's in Culpeper VA hired a 13 year old, and he was having relations with her. When I spoke up, I was terminated. Needless to say, I wasn't mad. I was just mad that at that age, I was even working at McDonald's. No disrespect to anyone who is. Work is work, and there is no shame in making your own money.

[@aiiiia9971]

That's honestly sickening because that kid was being exploited. No shame on the kid obviously, we aren't blaming the victims of this system. But that employer should have been held accountable And good of you to speak out on it even if they fked you over too :(

[@TheVoiceOfReason93]

Lessons are always conveniently ignored if it means profit or power. Always.

[@gretchenhatfield4366]

This is heartbreaking as well as immoral.

[@oswarz]

"Immoral" does not exist in a capitalist's vocabulary. And frankly, they have no "heart" to break.

[@michaelmartinez3674]

Who says history repeats itself? The Guilded Age is strong in the republican party. Okay, okay. So maybe history DOESN'T repeat itself, but it sure does "rhyme," sometimes. 😕

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Look who's back Zachoff the corporate bootlicker troll. Just as I predicted.

[@PeoplecallmeLucifer]

hey no one is killing millionaires and corrupt officials We get what we tolerate

[@cezarcatalin1406]

@@Zach-ju5viYea, sure, if there are poor kids who need food... let’s enslave them! Makes perfect sense, tank you! Also, if anyone asks for free school meals for kids, don’t listen to them, they are communists trying to indoctrinate your kids with stuff like... uhh... actual history and math! They don’t even ask who’s going to pay for those “free meals” (smug giggles).

[@hegyak]

Fines and Penalties means "Legal for a Cost" PRISON WILL Stop this. But it won't happen.

[@RobertStoll]

I wouldn't be sad if I read any number of CEO's obituary in the paper. Just saying. Wouldn't be a huge loss.

[@TMKing_MS]

It's not a fine. It's a fee for service. You need to take total profits made off of illegal activity, or they will never care about the laws.

[@RobertStoll]

Even better, make it so they must take on the work and contract they have that child worker under.

[@vanquish421]

No, it won't. If it did, we wouldn't have cartels. Abolishing capitalism, in favor of a more equitable system, is a better solution.

[@DaleHartley]

There is no prison for this, BECAUSE UNLIKE CITIZENS>>>>BUSINESSES ARE NOT PEOPLE!!! you cannot put Tyson in prison, you will not get the execs either because they will shed responsibility to the company. ( used Tyson since they are some of the meat packers out in the states this is happening in...I have no clue if their products are handled by children or not...SO JUST an example, not a fact)

[@davidmehling4310]

My mom's dad was born in 1905 and quit school after seventh grade to work in a local factory because the family needed the money. His father was a railroad right of way maintenance worker and his mother a rural mail carrier, both unionized jobs now, but not then. When I was young, work meant delivering newspapers, mowing, or shoveling snow for neighbors. Now we are heading backwards

[@fronkentine]

My sister's friend died in high school crossing a busy intersection at 3am because the restaurant he worked at consistently made him close. He lived at LEAST a 15 minute drive away from his work (or over 5 miles away), and no one ever offered him a ride. His family needed the money, so he worked, and didn't protest. Now he's dead.

[@bruisedhelmet8819]

This is a new level of horror. Rotting in prison for the people allowing this is too good.

[@joycetrembath499]

These asinine corporations seem to be ignoring the FACT that treating and paying your employees right means happy workers=better quality and quantity=happy customers=referrals to more customers=more profits, etc. The employees are the single most important asset any business can have. Investing some of those profits in the employees will build a business higher and faster. KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES HAPPY AND HEALTHY!

[@oswarz]

Now. Know any corporations that do that? COSTCO "Might" be one. Name another? Corporations are not "asinine". They are profit driven. This automatically requires them to be short term thinkers (YOU think about THAT!) The greatest cost to a capitalist is the worker. Happy workers over a number of years does not produce the profits for THIS year. If the corporation does not produce profits, shareholders (the very rich) will not be happy. Understand? Paraphrasing, "It's the system, stupid".

[@0Clewi0]

@@oswarz Mostly what they mean is that the current system is stupid even from a capitalism point of view because the profits of a quarter is seen as more important than the company not being shut down at the end of the year.

[@marthas9255]

you don't need happier workers when you have 300 mil bodies to churn, what's going to happen to all the useless, evil unemployed if we kept the same people on board? reverse all the evils and virtues! this culture is like some soppy premise in an christian anti christ movie....

[@CantankerousDave]

For all his faults, even Henry Ford knew that.

[@riceburner4747]

ITS THE PATRIOTIC THING TO DO! 🇺🇸

[@coop5329]

I got a work permit at 15 with the agreement of my parents; I only had two classes left to take in high school to graduate. The rules were that I could only work until 9 PM (this was at a restaurant). I walked to work after school was done (10 AM) and my dad was picking me up after work. Starting the second week I was scheduled to work every night until closing at 2 PM; not starting until 9 PM. Not safe, dad couldn't come get me, end of job.

[@ArkvaleColoniser]

This video is amazing. -Gets to the point -Gives history of the situation -Provides solutions -Tells people what to do and how -Keeps it simple and quick. No 30 minute video.

[@stevechance150]

My parents let me go to work at McDonald's when I was 16. That was a mistake. Don't let your teens work in fast food!

[@constantreader8760]

The key word is "let." You were allowed to hire on and see what going on in the fast food industry. You weren't compelled to do it.

[@dioxideuniversal]

@@constantreader8760 There aren't that many families these days with the luxury of "let."

[@nerfherder4284]

The children working at McDonald's were there WITH their parent. Some of these instances are a matter of child care costing more than minimum wage and parents basically being forced to bring their kids to work.

[@derrickscott9469]

My first job was a Subway "Sandwich Artist" at 15. I was thrown right into the evening dinner rush with lots of hangry customers and a butthole boss. Terrible experience and introduction to working life.

[@deathshop2172]

I worked at McDonalds when I was 15. It was pretty hard, but I got enough money to put myself through a lot of uni. then again, I'm canadian, so it's probably better over here.

[@adamkalb1]

*NO!* This is not okay, and it never will be. Child labor/enslavement is bad, and corporations should not have all the power to change or dodge the rules whenever they want! 😡It is madness and senseless to let the entire planet revolve around corporations! Would reduced corporate profits really be the end of the world? I hate how useless child safety laws and other laws appear to be against corporate greed!

[@nerfherder4284]

Do you own a smart phone? You probably have paid for child labor then.

[@HarpMuse]

If corporate profits were reduced, then they couldn't afford 10 homes and 5 yachts. Greed is out of control.

[@yourdaddy-mq4km]

No legitimate business is enslaving children 😂.

[@adamkalb1]

@@HarpMuse Corporate profits of a few people for 10 homes and 5 yachts are less important than the safety of millions of children! Do not let any greedy authoritites tell you otherwise. They can not reign supreme forever. We still have the right to freedom of speech. Corporate greed does not get to trump all of our Constitutional Amendments, or else we have failed as a society.

[@dearyvettetn4489]

To all the folks who think, “…not my kids, not my problem.” Let me remind you that the line must always go up 📈. When they need more child slaves, they’ll be luring and legislating to get yours.

[@johnmiles9162]

My Sire owned a Mining Company, Mining Uranium. From age 12-16 my Sire forced me to work in the mine alongside his adult workers. I had to load dynamite into drill holes, wire, and blast the rock. After waiting for the air to clear for 20 mins, then I had to use the underground loaders to fill ore trucks and haul the ore to the surface. several days, I was rushed off the mine site only because OSHA had shown up for Air Quality Testing and to check the mine site. My brother (3 years younger than myself) broke his leg underground on one of the machines. My Sire told the Doctors he fell off of the Mesa to cover. I am now 60. Profits over People. That's the Republican way.

[@SupahTrunks7]

I’m so sorry that happened to you and your brother and it sounds like OSHA didn’t find out about the horrible labor violations you were subjected to. I can only hope that we can stop history from repeating itself before it’s too late.

[@johnmiles9162]

@@SupahTrunks7 I hope we can prevent that from happening to any other kids too.

[@cynthialangley7338]

Employers need to be tightly regulated and there need to be severe penalties, including shutting down businesses if necessary. There’s no labor shortage, there’s a shortage of jobs with decent working conditions and that pay a living wage with health care benefits at the very least.

[@oswarz]

You're right about the last. Unfortunately, regulators have been "captured". They don 't work for the people, they workk for the regulated. Thinkk Banks.

[@constantreader8760]

I can hear Miss Marjorie Taylor screaming "Communist!" at your excellent suggestion.

[@ShadeandShadow4ever]

@@Zach-ju5vi Ignore Zack. He's just a troll.

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Another load of verbal diarrhea from Zachoff the corporate bootlicker.

[@franklinloll2229]

Theres a shortage of employees with values and a work ethic.

[@kevinjhonson5925]

There is no labour shortage people are sick of working for slave, wages, and having no life why work, and be poor when you cannot work and be poor, just the same

[@ChuckleHoneybear]

I’ve worked in jobs unpaid, paid very little, when I was a teen. Very disgusting practices.

[@kazeryu17]

I worked a long stint in construction for about 6 years. I had a chat with the grim reaper almost every day. Construction is no place for a 16 year old. Imagine your child dying because he fell through 50' of scaffolding, hitting every bar on the way down, or getting crushed under a house that was held up by a bottle jack, before being able to graduate high school.

[@josephg160]

Kids should not work they need to learn. Rather some of us disagree or not. Just because everything is rising due to inflation blame the corporations and not make your kids suffer.

[@adria89]

Everything is rising because of corporate greed

[@budmoore7971]

The Corporations, Wall Street and the ReTrumpliKKKan party scream "WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR CHILREN!" But at the same time they BAN BOOKS, because they don't want them to know history and they don't want them to think critically. They won't pass any gun reforms because they don't care if they get slaughtered in schools. Now they want to use them as cannon fodder for the corporations to save money on labor to boost their profits. DOES THIS SOUND LIKE THE GOP GIVES A $HIT ABOUT YOU OR YOUR KIDS??? Wake up MAGA, you have been lied too by your leaders! They are using you and your kids to make themselves richer and keep themselves in power. They will tell you lie after lie just to keep you mad against an enemy that doesn't exist just to keep you voting for them. Wake up. Vote BLUE.

[@josephg160]

@@Zach-ju5vi why do you think school was created? School is a place where children can learn, grow and develop their personalities. That's why school is mostly important for our kids not just work.

[@SharienGaming]

@@josephg160 i recommend you just report and ignore that troll - those comments are a clear call for child abuse and they have plastered them all over this comment section... save your sanity

[@josephg160]

@@SharienGaming your right. These trolls are not worth my time and it's best to report them.

[@AuntJemimaGames]

You are SO right about the laughably ineffectual fines that cost these corporations far less than the benefit of breaking these laws/regulations. If the fines were big enough to actually prove punishing for them, they would think twice about doing these things in the first place! There are many great examples of this in the EU, since they certainly seem to have their act together regarding worker rights and regulations.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

Officially they are called fines, but actually they are bribes. You pay them only when caught, and they ensure that you may continue. Those taking the bribes are incentivised to see you continue.

[@enzobatista8467]

Then the new price to pay should be thier lives.

[@davidwuhrer6704]

@@enzobatista8467 The death penalty is not a deterrent: You don't have to live with the consequences.

[@jrandall1131]

Thank you for speaking out. This is a bipartisan issue, both sides of the aisle are accountable for these revisions.

[@carltaylor4942]

Absolutely disgusting. America is heading rapidly downhill and it was already quite low on the list...

[@serafinacosta7118]

Ebbs and types.

[@BlitzkriegOmega]

"the children yearn for the mines" -a complete and utter monster

[@getfastfish5020]

Must be true because all I hear them talk about is mine craft

[@blacky_Ninja]

@@getfastfish5020 I‘m sorry, but this is not the time for jokes.

[@EagleZtoTheGrave]

​@@getfastfish5020 💀😅

[@mikkert-zh2cf]

A few weeks ago I talked with an entrepreneur that said that "corporations actually want the best for people and planet". But after seeing this I know he was lying. It's often immoral, greedy people that work in business.

[@nerfherder4284]

Corporations don't 'want'. They are legal entities that exist on paper. When the people who run them break the laws that paper should be revoked.

[@serafinacosta7118]

That and the fact your entrepreneur is not part of your public corporation. He runs an enterprise. Mostly a privately held. And you can take his gibberish for what it is worth. Self serving at best. The “ best people “ are usually the cream of the crop who are employable by corporations. Certainly not kids. College Educated types , by and large. The “Planet “ is just a hollow slogan. He is full of it. Beware of ideologues.

[@nathanielchieffallo4273]

Well that dude isn't going to find that much success if they dont understand the only thing companies care about is profit

[@apjtv2540]

"Child labour violations have risen nearly 300%" If there was ever a red flag for a nation, I feel like this is it.

[@davidcarr7436]

Corporate profits ARE AMERICA! Nothing else matters to the corps, and that makes it important to politicians

[@tamril4938]

Protect your children from these monsters

[@somerandomguy4919]

Its child abuse to have them raised as conservatives

[@Spock_Rogers]

Protect children

[@aloysiusprasetyo3737]

They use orphanage and ilegal immigrant children. They bypass parent consent

[@grindcoreninja6527]

"But my quarterly profits!" - Share holders.

[@adria89]

If the executives didn't make a ridiculous amount of money, it wouldn't affect profits

[@grindcoreninja6527]

@@adria89 Humor isn't your thing is it?

[@adria89]

Sorry, but there's nothing funny about this topic

[@1313steamroller]

Capitalist parasites ruin every business they touch.

[@serafinacosta7118]

It is not about being funny. He or she just brought up something relevant. Nothing wrong with that. The missing fact that escaped he/she , is that a lot of those labor subversions do not take place on public owned companies. They are, rather , practiced and grossly abused downstream , by their subcontractors and suppliers. If you can blame these public companies , is that they put a squeeze on contractors or suppliers to come up with lower bids and pricing. A practice a company like Walmart often resorts to. And so many others ( apparel makers are notorious for this ). It anyone is going to stop these race to the bottom practices one needs to put checks in every step of the way within the supply chain. This has been done with Agriculture ( if not defrauded there is ) on Fair Trade Programs. Enforcemrnt of fair practices to stop wage theft , unfair wages , and child labor requires auditing and certifications. It is a straight jacket , but needs to be done.

[@AMCguy]

Any cooperation that does these inhumane practices deserves a person going postal at their cooperate office.

[@kaemincha]

In my state, a Hyundai supplier got busted for having child laborers. It is sickening how this is not a bigger issue and has continued to be allowed for years under the radar, ramping up even more so over recent years and attempts at deregulation.

[@michaelsoltesz3779]

I went to high school many many moons ago. I do not recall the guidance counselor mentioning slavery as a direction after graduation. Good news for the children being born as we speak! What a bright future. Greatest country in the world, indeed. 👍

[@Alyenbird]

Perhaps define the fine for being caught employing children as "The amount of money an adult would earn at that job in the same time period the child was working X 2." So that it costs them twice as much to employ a child and get caught then just employ an adult...

[@SharienGaming]

thats genuinely nothing and would vanish under "cost of doing business" because it only costs them anything when caught a large percentage of company revenue would likely be an effective deterrent though

[@ngroy8636]

What happened to "think about the children" when it actually matters

[@NighDarke]

Almost all the problems in this country can be attributed to greed. No one wants to pay a decent wage. Businesses are turning record profits but still raising prices and firing employees to "save money". No matter how much they have its never enough. They have to have more more more more MORE! And they don't care how they get it or who it hurts.

[@moranmike36]

Please help stop this child labor. Organize!

[@oswarz]

Actually, that's the only possible response.

[@ShadeandShadow4ever]

@@Zach-ju5vi Ignore Zack. He's just a troll.

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Zachoff the corporate bootlicker strikes again. hahaha.

[@moranmike36]

@@Zach-ju5vi Really, in a slaughterhouse using caustic cleaning products, possibly exposing them to burns, cancer etc. These corporation are breakingh our labor laws.

[@moranmike36]

@GuyInCLE Our (USA) Union membership has grown along with higher wages and benefits for members. We have voted in more progressive people who are doing the work for the people. We have more people voting. For example.

[@DB-fx6ly]

This is decades old and just getting bigger it seems. In 1967 I was working my way through college so I started working at a plant that was part of a cooperative for the processing of citrus fruit. There were groves, fresh fruit packing plants and juice plants. I worked at plants in Plymouth and Winter Garden Florida. These were also near the extensive agricultural Zellwood farms. During this time it was well known that many immigrant families came here to pick vegetables at Zellwood and citrus all over Florida as a part of a loop through other agricultural states. When I say families I'm talking the entire family men, women and children worked the groves and/or fields. In the groves the adults would climb the ladders and pick while the children would pick up the fruit dropped on the ground. They were paid based on a box of fruit (90lbs). Citrus started about September and went typically to about April. So it started with Grapefruit and then progressed through early, mid and late oranges (i.e., first grapefruit to last Valencia's), 7 days a week at peak season. I doubt it has changed unless we developed self picking food and I missed that. Then there was the FLSA laws that allowed the citrus plants to avoid paying hourly workers over time for work over 40 hours. There is a lot that needs to be looked at.

[@rridderbusch518]

A disease called *Citrus Greening* is wiping out the Florida growers. It's spread by an invasive flying insect. I've eaten an orange with a bit of Greening and it tastes just awful. RIP Florida oranges.

[@smokingjoe9864]

You look at other cultures, the family is in the rice paddy. Education is only for the wealthy. College liberal arts; originally, was for rich kids that would never have to work. Public schools went to the 8th grade up to the late 40s. You went to work at 15. I worked the fields as a kid. Milking cows bailing hay, picking weeds out of fields in Minnesota. The Democrats want to coddle people until they are 21 to 25. Kids nowadays can't even roll a cigarette! Now, if your grades are good enough and you want to go all the way to a doctorate degree, then I am all for Free Public Higher Education. Not every kid is school material.

[@DB-fx6ly]

@@smokingjoe9864 Well we are talking about the disposable people in the groves and fields. That has not changed. Education and training has to be a life long process to meet the changes we face in life and work. I believe we collectively owe all our children the education and/or training to give them a fair start. But we also need to provide continuing education through out life. Companies should be in the lead for this but that does not happen. I worked at a major defense/aerospace company that was required to develop an employee training plan to gain ISO cert. I developed one that passed the initial ISO and the 6 month follow up ISO review and the management had still not adopted it.

[@saturn5mtw567]

​​@@smokingjoe9864 go fuck yourself. There are kids working industrial jobs, and getting covered in chemicals burns. You if support that you are pro-child abuse. "I like to abuse children to own the libs" mf. EXPLAIN TO ME how you justify a 12 year old being covered in debilitating injuries?

[@crismcdonough2804]

​@@smokingjoe9864 you are full of crap. My grandmother graduated high school 12th grade in 1928. 😂

[@Scribdoodle]

Leaving a comment for the algorithm. This is the type of channel I like to see, and this was the first video of yours I remember being recommended.

[@PAMELAPORTER-ci7mr]

Is there no limit to corporate greed? We've billionaires courting SC justices, ever increasing for profit prices, all the way down to child labor. Are we all corporate victims?

[@rickpiller9285]

It is hard to get someone to understand something when their paycheck depends upon them not understanding.

[@oswarz]

Yep. Even if THEIR paycheck deprives thousands others of theirs.

[@BLMacab]

maybe you never grew up with nothing and dont appreciate a good home

[@coyoteclockworkstudios3140]

@@BLMacab Even if you can make this argument with a straight face nowadays, when 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, that "home" used to be raising a family of four, owning your own home, and paying for college on a single fucking income. Remember Married With Children? That used to be normal. And it was stolen from us. Don't blame the poor for not being grateful enough. It's fucking capitalism, it's supposed to make things miserable to encourage competition. When you scold the poor for being ungrateful, you're speaking the propaganda of the rich without having any class solidarity with them. Don't be a class traitor.

[@blacky_Ninja]

@@BLMacab Maybe the „grew up with nothing“ shouldn‘t be used as a justification for child abuse??? 🤨

[@BLMacab]

@@blacky_Ninja child abuse what you talking about? my cousins 16-17 make more than me a sped teacher, and you rather have thier jobs sent to Africa for 10 cents a day? and btw my cousins my age all did construction at 15 i did landscaping at 12 construction at 16 aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand tile and Ac at 16 why do you cry whites supremacy but want my wealthy family to not work and keep wealth?

[@timmy-wj2hc]

Hyundai, McDonalds, JBS and many more others have hired 10 year olds.

[@ShadeandShadow4ever]

@@Zach-ju5vi Ignore Zack. He's just a troll.

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Big surprise, Zachoff the corporate bootlicking troll was triggered by this fantastic video.

[@nerfherder4284]

Your iphone was probably made by a 10 year old, but not a shiny American one, so you don't care....

[@brucebasile5083]

@@Zach-ju5vi Projection 101 from our boy Zachoff the corporate bootlicking troll.

[@timmy-wj2hc]

@@nerfherder4284 Funny you assume what other people care about. Generalization is a classic fallacy. As to the children exploitation, it is a feature of capitalism, that's why humanity must progress and abandon such an evil and unjust economic model. As to the child labor in the US, unlike other countries people within the US should do everything to stop it. I can't influence other countries' government to abolish child abuse, only to raise awareness in such countries.

[@garyball-wi6yu]

Children out there stuffing envelopes to be mailed

[@cymtastique]

If only the government understood that education is a better return on investment than child labor. They might fight harder against it. This is especially awfully coming from the "pro-life, family values" people.

[@o.b.7217]

One of the 14 signs of Fascism: *Suppression of Labor Power* Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely suppressed.

[@tommanning3766]

6th - publish the names of companies who do this and boycott them. 🤔

[@alvideos2145]

You might have to boycott more than you think >_>

[@aiiiia9971]

​@@alvideos2145true

[@UmmYeahOk]

Maybe we don’t need that many McDonalds? I remember when my town didn’t even have a McDonalds. Now we not only have 2, but the town we used to drive to for McDonalds now has six. SIX!!! And it’s not just McDonalds. It’s everything from Subways to CVS. We don’t need these on every street corner. Maybe just concentrate on one in every town, quit having competing locations, and then, instead on having a skeleton crew at every location, have a decently staffed location, where work isn’t as stressful, since one person isn’t doing the job of three with close to bare minimum wage, it’s still $7.25 and hour here.

[@kevinthefox]

I kinda hope this backfires. That kids get bored of the work after an hour and quit. Leaving places shorthanded and losing profit.

[@bovinityleak2066]

This trend is absolutely disturbing. Thank you for highlighting the issue as it washes across the nation!!

[@muzzy9267]

How are we falling so far backwards. We are in a dark time.

[@BLMacab]

white people wont do the jobs

[@flatman3134]

Apathy and social media

[@lmarsh4748]

So ridiculous. How are we going backwards so quickly?

[@swedish9319]

Wow this is horrifying we are really going into a new era while going backwards at the same time. This is history in the making and it's gutt renching.

[@Laura-LaFauve]

It's always bemused me that instead of having two robust incomes, as women went back to work, more men became unemployed and raised dried up. Now, one parent holding down one job and being able to support a family is practically unheard of. Now, we're running twice as hard to stay in the same place - and they're going after our children. Solidarity. 💪🏾

[@erich6860]

Laura you win the internet thought of the day. People simply seem to forget about the days where most families was one income, or at worse the mom might have a part time job during the day while the kids are in school. Some time after the 70s it started shifting towards 2 income, and now days, everyone needs a side hustle on top of a full time job. It is disgusting. How the so called party of family values does nothing but encourage the situations that destroy families. Low wages, both parents working, no welfare, no healthcare, no protections at work, i mean at some point people need to see through the Republican BS.

[@pktdbgnzwl]

Yep always the wimmen right ?

[@erich6860]

@@pktdbgnzwl one income does not mean just men. One income should be one income regardless of the person working for a family

[@Laura-LaFauve]

@@erich6860 amen!

[@yesimemoin0935]

Working class women have always worked. The 80s labor revolution was an influx of middle class women in white collar jobs. Nursing, teaching, civil service, food service, retail have always skewed female.

[@vg2448]

The saddest part of them using children because able-bodied adults refuse to work low paying jobs is that there are tons of disabled workers with extremely minor disabilities that have zero impact on our ability to work willing to work low paying jobs, like me, but employers refuse to hire us because we are the 'undesirables' in society, people they want to die off and starve to death, they don't want us to have money to afford to live, and Social Security is providing us less and less money, and as costs rise more and more of us die from being unable to afford to live, and without jobs we cannot afford to live. Its an insidious aspect of the economic system our society has... where rather than employ willing adults to work (adults which they want to kill off), they employ children (who have no choice in the matter). Our nation is going to continue going downhill as long as corrupt evil people control all the businesses and are managers in businesses. And middle/upper middle-class people who are management hiring employees have a policy - never ever hire anyone that is an undesirable. There have embraced the upper classes in maintaining the psychotic status quo. Every middle-class manager refused to hire me over either disability or ethnic background, because they would rather back the status quo instead of overthrow it. They assume that if they protect the executives above them and follow their policy that someday they can be billionaires too.

[@aiiiia9971]

This is so true. One of my friends is disabled and she is not allowed to have more than 2000 in assets which is a joke. Why are they preventing adult people who are willing to work and capable from doing so, and then make children do it? Absurd

[@erwannthietart3602]

Mind you they are not "evil" "evil" implies that morality impacts their decision making It doesnt, the only thing that matters is profit, and what they do to make more, at all costs. They are however absolutely terrible people and most definitly corrupt to the bone

[@EagleZtoTheGrave]

​@@erwannthietart3602 Sounds like evil to me, a rose by another name 😂

[@holeshothunter5544]

I'm beginning to hate this country. The unconscionable greed and total lack of empathy are too much to bear.

[@angelcarrillo980]

They need to raise the Child Labor Wages. We got to lower the turnover, man.

[@rpfs2691]

The answer to inadequate fines is to use the system Finland uses: specify fines as a percentage of income. Maybe modify this for corporations to also take dividend payments into account. So big corporations will hurt at least as much as small ones when they are fined. And this will also encourage shareholders to appoint CEOs who don't endanger profitability by risking to incur those fines.

[@DrAngelKins]

They actually are. But the chances are rare

[@philgee7249]

Boys up chimneys, etc, etc. This is basically what UK Conservatives call "Victorian Values".

[@youngdegenerate1002]

I want my niece to get job at 14 but a part-time job 4hrs twice week.

[@slikskils1603]

When i said more students should have access to trade school prep like classes, i didn't mean to exploit them as child labor zzzzzzzz

[@briankh2007]

What you said here was extremely reprehensible. Using child labor is no excuse to solve the labor crisis. If large companies had paid more to workers, none of this mess would be happening.

[@jasonderp5933]

And this is why unions should be mandatory in every industry.

[@BLMacab]

yup biden and bernie love police unions

[@shrekatemyonions]

It really is just the difference between “Vulnerable workers need to accept exploitative jobs because otherwise they’ll starve!”and, “Maybe people shouldn’t starve if they happen to miss a paycheck.”

[@user-uc9fx4ru7p]

First heard about this on the 60min piece. It is beyond sad that this is happening. Kids should not feel obligated to work bad jobs.

[@BLMacab]

my primos make 70k doing jobs you wont

[@theresebortzfield188]

This is illegal and should be criminally prosecuted with punitive finds.

[@morenofranco9235]

Love your program, Robert. My congratulations to yourself, and your team.

[@deviritter5232]

Heinous. Just unbelievable.

[@innocentrage1]

Its amazing how we have all this technology and yet we are in the dumbest time line.

[@alvideos2145]

Not really, its just that nothing has changed, its as dumb as any other timeline, you just see more of it on youtube.

[@emm6101]

Sadly theres always a chunk of people easily swayed by emotional buzz words and identity politics. Republicans have done it for years

[@itwasntriggedyourejustaloser73]

I have whiplash from how fast we are regressing 🤬🤢🤬🤢🤬🤢🤬

[@kenhammscousin4716]

The corporations have been taking more and more power in government and they are making it next to impossible for the people to take the power back. We really need some powerful leadership in these times.

[@ryanreedgibson]

The meatpacking plant, where I live, has busloads of children arriving every morning. We reported it and my brother was arrested for recording. Some type of ag-gag law. If we are to be treated as terrorists, maybe that's what it will take to stop it.

[@SupahTrunks7]

It’s sick that reporting abuses like this gets the reporter arrested and not the company. Just further proof that the law is in the pockets of the businesses

[@nancyaustin9516]

Gee, CEOs have gutted the benefits of American families, gotten huge tax breaks and paid themselves obscene salaries, so now we need children to take jobs so they and their families can afford to eat. Such generosity! Such vision! \s

[@DrAngelKins]

Tax breaks they didn't deserve since they refuse to use the money to pay for the workers better or improve life quality or their product (which that was the point of the tax breaks)