Alleged LA Child Labor
Alleged LA Child Labor - Los Angeles LAist
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Federal Labor Investigators Demand L.A.-Area Poultry Company to Forfeit Money for Employing Minors in Dangerous Jobs
The U.S. Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against an L.A.-area poultry company, alleging that it employed minors in dangerous jobs and demanding the company to forfeit the money it made from these activities. The lawsuit claims that at least two minors were working in oppressive conditions, deboning raw poultry with sharp knives at a poultry processing plant in Irwindale. This case raises significant concerns regarding child labor and the violation of labor laws.
Violations of Fair Labor Standards Act and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The U.S. Department of Labor has accused the owner of the processing plant, Fu Qian Chen Lu, and owners of two other associated companies of illegally shipping poultry products handled by child workers. This action violates the “hot goods” provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which prohibits companies from shipping products that come from locations where child labor has been observed in the prior 30 days. These violations directly contradict SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, which aims to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
The labor department’s attorneys described the working conditions for the underage workers as oppressive. Instead of attending school, these children were forced to stand on their feet all day in a chilled cutting room surrounded by raw chicken, using knives they had to constantly sharpen to cut and debone chicken. This exploitation of child labor is a clear violation of SDG 4: Quality Education, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Dueling Child Labor Allegations
A lawyer representing the defendants accused the labor department of planting an underage worker in the facilities, which the labor department denies. The defendants’ lawyer claimed that the labor department manufactured the child labor allegation to strengthen its negotiating position. However, the labor department attorney stated that their staff did not place an underage employee in the poultry plants or direct them to work in a dangerous job. This dispute highlights the importance of conducting thorough investigations and ensuring the protection of child workers, in line with SDG 8 and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Search Warrants and Interviews
During a search warrant executed against Chen Lu’s company, Moon Poultry, investigators discovered children working at the poultry processing plant. The labor department stated that minors have been working at the facility since at least October, with two of them identified as chicken deboners in the last two months. The department notified Chen Lu of the child labor violations and the prohibition on shipping “hot goods,” but he disregarded these warnings and continued to ship the products. This disregard for labor laws undermines SDG 8 and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, which promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Other Enforcement Actions
The labor department’s lawsuit seeks to hold the defendants accountable by ordering them to give up all profits earned from child labor and pay additional civil penalties. This case follows a previous judgment against another L.A.-area poultry processing company, where the labor department ordered its owner to pay significant amounts in back wages, damages, and penalties. These enforcement actions demonstrate the commitment to combatting child labor and promoting fair labor practices, aligning with SDG 8 and SDG 16.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. | Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant to the issue of child labor in the poultry processing plant) |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, hazardous chemicals, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement (relevant to the issue of illegal shipment of poultry products handled by child workers) |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The issue of employing minors in dangerous jobs and violating labor laws is directly connected to SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The issue of illegal shipment of poultry products handled by child workers relates to SDG 12, which focuses on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns and responsible management of chemicals and wastes.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms.
This target is relevant to the issue of employing minors in dangerous jobs at the poultry processing plant.
Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
This target is relevant to the issue of illegal shipment of poultry products handled by child workers.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
Yes, there are indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group
This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 8.7 of ending child labor in all its forms. It would involve tracking the number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, specifically in the poultry processing plant.
Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, hazardous chemicals, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
This indicator can be used to measure progress towards Target 12.4 of achieving the environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes. It would involve monitoring the compliance of parties to international agreements on hazardous waste and chemicals, specifically related to the illegal shipment of poultry products.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labor in all its forms. | Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (relevant to the issue of child labor in the poultry processing plant) |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, hazardous chemicals, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement (relevant to the issue of illegal shipment of poultry products handled by child workers) |
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Source: laist.com
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