Red State Republicans Propose Using Children to Fill Labor Shortages
Faced with low unemployment and a labor shortage, Republican state governors and legislatures are yielding to business lobby pressure and rushing to introduce bills in numerous red states that would dramatically loosen or repeal many child labor law regulations around “age and workplace safety protections” - especially, in some of the country’s most “dangerous workplaces.” Economists say when corporations struggle to find staffing, they’re delighted to hire younger, cheaper workers, rather than increase pay and benefits to attract adults.
Wow, who says Republicans have no real plans for America? “Bring back child labor!” sounds like a real winner for Republicans in the next election, right along with “End Social Security and Medicare handouts!” So, I guess its “Get outta that crib and get to work, you lazy little bastards!” And while we’re at it, let’s build barracks to house those underage child workers, and bring back workhouses for the poor and the needy.
Of course, these moves are going to seem rather harsh to some - I’m looking at you, “Libtards!” However, Republicans are quick to counter that with all the cuts the GOP has been able to make to public education, these kids will grow up with no critical thinking skills and basically have no future anyway, so they’re really doing the kiddies a big favor giving them “jobs.” Meanwhile, all I can think is, “what a shame Charles Dickens and Upton Sinclair are no longer around to chronicle this shit.”
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5 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Yeah, why not go back 100 years in social conditions, instead of just to 1950? These assholes want as much regression as they can get.
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Feb 13, 2023
1
If anyone thinks this is satire, this article appeared in the guardian last year
[theguardian.com]
LenHazell53
Level 9
Feb 12, 2023
2
Loved this and loved the acompanying picture as i actually worked in a cotton mill when i lived in Alabama...those are Spinner machines and can break your arm, or worse, in about a nanosecond.
The 'thread' being made breaks and must be re-attached, by hand, using your hand between the spindles, and the spindles spin at thousands of revs per minute....the spinning parts go almost all the way to the floor, so it can pretty much grab you anywhere, like if you dropped your "cleaning knife (for the wadded-up not-running thread which has to be removed before you insert the thread back onto the spindle)
Nothing shuts off, ever, unless you hit the switch for the entire room, electricity installed long after the machines were installed, ours were cast-iron, made in Pawcatuck CT in 1986...stamped on the ends in proud Victorian script.
In my small mill there was an entire floor of these heavy, noisy machines, maybe 50 of them, as well as many other types, some too dangerous for "anyone but men" (it was the 60's) and many of the workers, male & female, had been there full time since age 11-12.
BTW IMO this child is too short to tend the upper rank...she must have a stool just outside the picture somewhere. .there is a specific angle the thread must be inserted to 'grab', otherwise it won't, quite a knack.
AnneWimsey
Level 9
Feb 12, 2023
3
You know that if they let the children do the dangerous jobs, they won't survive to tax the social security system.
glennlab
Level 10
Feb 12, 2023
5
Yup, it's a twofer for the greedy ruling class, that only wants to work us to death and then leave us nothing after we are no longer useful to them as slaves.