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Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

#2
As I was reading TFA, I tried not to let my cynicism dictate my theory on why these looser child labor restrictions are being pushed so hard lately. But then we get this gem:

Supporters, meanwhile, have cheered the legislation as a potential solution to workforce shortages and rising labor costs.

Yup, all that talk about "work ethic" is just bullshit. Plus their little hands make it easier to get the coal out.

Re: Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

#4
post #3

Laws that were intended to prevent children from working in dangerous factories should not apply to jobs in air conditioned offices.

> The measure would permit children as young as 14 to work in roofing, construction and demolition,

Those are comfy air conditioned office jobs.

Re: Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

#8
I haven't been to Iowa since the late 1990s, but when I did visit Cedar Rapids I was struck by how nice everyone was. It was like going back to the 1960s: nobody swore, everyone was ridiculously polite, people seemed to have visible respect for engineers and other expert professionals. I'm struggling to reconcile all those nice people in Iowa with a state that is repealing basic child-labor protections.

ETA: sorry, I seem to have offended someone. Not sure if this is off-topic, also not sure what the "HN appropriate" discussion is on this story. It's just depressing.

Re: Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

#9
post #2

As I was reading TFA, I tried not to let my cynicism dictate my theory on why these looser child labor restrictions are being pushed so hard lately. But then we get this gem: Supporters, meanwhile, have cheered the legislation as a potential solution to workforce shortages and rising labor costs. Yup, all that talk about "work ethic" is just bullshit. Plus their little hands make it easier to get the coal out.

Yeah. I was maintaining a similar level of neutrality until I hit this line.

> The measure — championed by conservative lobbying groups, the state restaurant association and the state industry group for home builders, among others

Re: Iowa governor will sign bill rolling back labor protections for children

#10

I haven't been to Iowa since the late 1990s, but when I did visit Cedar Rapids I was struck by how nice everyone was. It was like going back to the 1960s: nobody swore, everyone was ridiculously polite, people seemed to have visible respect for engineers and other expert professionals. I'm struggling to reconcile all those nice people in Iowa with a state that is repealing basic child-labor protections. ETA: sorry, I…

Maybe because being nice is an important social lubricant but is vastly overrated as a measure of character?
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