States take step backward in labor laws
A huge step backward as states weaken child labor protections Oxfam America
sdgtalks
The Hazards of Child Labor in the United States
Industrial laundries. Freezers and meat coolers. Roofing. These are some of the most hazardous workplaces in the country, featuring extreme heat and cold, heavy machinery, slippery surfaces, and heights. They pose dangers to the most seasoned and careful workers.
These are not places where children (under 18)* should be working; and yet some states are starting to dismantle their protections for children at work, weakening laws around sectors, hours, and tasks.
And the consequences will be deadly. Just this summer, three teenagers died in accidents at a poultry plant in Mississippi, a sawmill in Wisconsin, and a landfill in Missouri.
The likelihood of children dying in dangerous jobs did not deter states from rolling back restrictions on child labor in the past two years. Iowa passed a law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to work up to six hours a day when schools are in session, to as late as 9 p.m. (during school vacations, as late as 11 p.m.); it also removes prohibitions against minors working in industrial laundries, demolition, and in freezers and meat coolers. Arkansas eliminated work permits for 14- and 15-year-olds. New Jersey and New Hampshire extended work hours. Several other states are considering making similar changes.
We added this (terrible) data point to this year’s Best State to Work Index (BSWI) in order to train a spotlight on new efforts to undermine labor standards, enlarge the low-wage workforce, and take advantage of working families.
The Growing Gaps between Best and Worst States
Why is there such wild disparity between states laws? Credit Congress, which has been deadlocked in partisan divides for years now. The most glaring example? The federal minimum wage has not been increased in 14 years, the tipped minimum wage in 32 years; while 30 states have increased their state minimum wages, 22 have not, leaving a dangerously low wage floor of $7.25 an hour ($2.13 tipped).
Clearly, geography is an important dimension of systemic inequality in the U.S. State boundaries draw lines around fundamental rights, conditions, and protections for citizens, and within those boundaries are very different realities.
When Oxfam published the first edition of the BSWI in 2018, we were surprised to see the wide range of labor laws across the country. At that point, the top and bottom states sat right next to each other: Washington, DC was #1, and Virginia was #51. The minimum wage alone was almost double in DC what it was in Virginia ($13.25 vs $7.25 then; happily $17 and $12 today), and protections and rights to organize were similarly diverse.
Now, in 2023, the disparities are still there—but they’ve gotten even deeper. The top states continue to make progressive changes to labor laws to help working families stay afloat and healthy, while the bottom states remain obdurate, refusing to take simple steps like raising the minimum wage.
A few states have taken action with important new laws; this has improved the landscape for working families—and bumped them up in the index. We’re delighted to see changes in Virginia (from #51 to #28), Colorado (from #15 to #8), and New York (from #11 to #4). (Please read more about the historic retrospective in the full report.)
It needs to be said that the best states are getting better because of a circle of virtue: where workers and advocates are empowered to organize and demand changes, state legislatures respond (in the best states); where workers are underpaid and ignored, legislatures for the most part refuse to act.
The Gaps between the Best and Worst States are Huge, and Meaningful
If you live and work in one of the best states, you’re doing better on all three dimensions of the BSWI. You make dramatically better wages (even accounting for cost of living), have much more robust protections at work, and have rights to organize and bargain collectively.
The table below captures some of the data points in the top state (California) vs the bottom state (North Carolina).
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 | – The article highlights the dangers of hazardous workplaces for children, such as industrial laundries, freezers and meat coolers, and roofing. It emphasizes that these are not places where children should be working. – The article mentions accidents resulting in the deaths of teenagers working in a poultry plant, sawmill, and landfill, highlighting the deadly consequences of child labor. – The article discusses the rollback of restrictions on child labor in certain states, weakening laws around sectors, hours, and tasks. |
| SDG 1: No Poverty | Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women, and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions | – The article mentions the Best State to Work Index (BSWI) created by Oxfam America to train a spotlight on efforts to undermine labor standards and take advantage of working families. This index reflects the disparities between states in terms of labor laws and conditions, which can contribute to poverty. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage, and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality | – The article discusses the disparities between states in terms of labor laws, minimum wage, and protections for workers. It highlights the growing gaps between the best and worst states, with some states making progressive changes while others refuse to take simple steps like raising the minimum wage. |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: politicsofpoverty.oxfamamerica.org
Join us, as fellow seekers of change, on a transformative journey at https://sdgtalks.ai/welcome, where you can become a member and actively contribute to shaping a brighter future.
