CBS News found children in Ghana as young as 5 years old using machetes nearly as big as themselves to harvest the cocoa beans that end up in some of America's most-loved chocolates like M&Ms and Snickers. Debora Patta reports.
  • MonsiuerPatEBrown@reddthat.comEnglish
    12·
    1 year ago

    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/40-child-labor-farms

    Youths 12 and 13 years of age may work outside of school hours in non-hazardous jobs on farms that also employ >their parent(s) or with written parental consent.

    Youths under 12 years of age may work outside of school hours in non-hazardous jobs with parental consent, but >only on farms where none of the employees are subject to the minimum wage requirements of the FLSA.

    Local youths 10 and 11 may hand harvest short-season crops outside school hours for no more than 8 weeks >between June 1 and October 15 if their employers have obtained special waivers from the Secretary of Labor.

    That is USA federal labor laws for agriculture and children. What the fuck is the USA on about now ? Something something child labor ?

    • GiveMemes@jlai.luEnglish
      5·
      1 year ago

      That law basically means that family farms can pay children to do some chores on the farm. Factory farms don’t get to skirt minimum wage laws.

      My grandfather owns a small sheep farm in Pennsylvania, which is why I know this. Generally I don’t think it’s a problem to have children doing chores for money, just have to be sure those chores are safe. A 10 year old would never be in with the animals for example, but would be a great help for collecting firewood or putting water out in another pasture or what have you.

      Imo this isn’t really comparable to other child labor and it’s most often done by a kid that wants a new video game or what have you.

      • MotoAsh@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        There are states in the US with children working in butcheries.

        It might be well and good for you, but for US law, “child labor” is absolutely NOT a solved problem.

        Especially with Republicans wanting less regulation around the child labor.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Family owned restaurants use it often enough so that they can get a little labor out of their kids and don’t have to pay for after-school activities.

      • Microw@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        But the laws in Ghana aren’t meaningfully different either. Most children work on family cocoa farms. It’s just that they often can’t afford to limit the kid’s tasks to the basics.

      • Microw@lemm.eeEnglish
        1·
        1 year ago

        But the laws in Ghana aren’t meaningfully different either. Most children work on family cocoa farms. It’s just that they often can’t afford to limit the kid’s tasks to the basics.

    • Ataraxia@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      I guess it’s get another good reason for fertility and birth rate to plummet. Maybe those unborn are finally being given a choice.