Child labor exploitation persists in modern industries

Child labor remains a prevalent issue in various industries, including meatpacking, food processing, cleaning, and manufacturing. Despite our belief that child labor is a thing of the past, data from the Department of Labor reveals that child labor violations in the US have nearly quadrupled since 2015. Shockingly, instead of addressing this problem, some Republican lawmakers in states like Arkansas, Iowa, and Ohio are attempting to roll back labor laws and make it easier for businesses to hire minors, even in hazardous jobs. These proposed changes include allowing 14-year-olds to work late-night shifts, permitting 15-year-olds to handle heavy equipment, and authorizing 16 and 17-year-olds to work in dangerous industries like meatpacking and mining. These rollbacks aim to exploit young workers and raise serious concerns about the state of our society's economic, political, and moral values.