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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

#121

Post by nirvdrum »

WillPostForFood wrote: post #97
DubiousPusher wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's a rational argument. Roofing in particular is one of the most dangerous, demanding and environmentally harsh trades in the construction industry. Just as there is an age below which most children's bodies are not ready to begin heavy weight lifting, there is an age below which most children's bodies are not prepared to handle roofing.

The bill blocks all children from working on roofs, it just allows 17 and 18 year olds to work for roofing companies in other capacities. Prior to this amendment, roofing companies could do no hiring in any capacity. Does the bill seem more reasonable now?

Odds are really good that they'll be pressured to work on roofs and the employer will say "Well, they volunteered. I don't how old they are. Am I supposed to card all my employees?"

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

#122

Post by seanmcdirmid »

mikestew wrote: 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.

I was almost 18 when Washington state passed stricter labor laws for 16-17 year olds, and I was actually really pissed for those couple of months that I had to deal with it. You know, I was almost an adult at that point, I was doing great in school, on my way to university, and…I have to cut back on work because some Karen thought they knew what was better for me?!

Anyways, seeing it from the perspective of being that teenager once, I can sympathize with these roll backs. And I don’t want to become a new Karen to today’s teenagers.

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

#123

Post by seanmcdirmid »

pjc50 wrote: post #63
subsubzero wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regarding schools you have both the university of Iowa and Iowa state. I feel like those are both good schools, I had a family member go to Iowa state's PHD program and it was one of their top choices(for their profession). As for letting children(teenagers in this case) work earlier(and longer) I feel conflicted. In some sense the mantra that has been pushed on the past 2-3 generations has been everyone has to get a…

> a trap that having a 14-16 year make pretty good money in high school (via trades or apprenticeships) can dissuade them from ever getting into college Or have their parents dissuade them from ever getting into college. I think you could make a strong argument that the minimum full-time work age should be no lower than the age of being legally independent of the family. The hybrid solution, which is very rarely seen…

Working a crappy service job as a teenager is actually more motivation for going to college than not. And some of our parents didn’t give us much after 15, you need to do something to get out of that single wide trailer as soon as possible.

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

#124

Post by seanmcdirmid »

xracy wrote: post #88
WillPostForFood wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

16- and 17-year-olds can work and allows them to serve alcohol Teens don't really have smaller hands than adults. This bill is sane. Allowing kids to work for construction is going to improve lives more than blindly pushing everyone regardless of desire or aptitude in college and graduating them with a worthless degree and a half mil in debt. Let teens work in roofing and get some skills that the world actually needs…

I mean, I would argue you're not making a rational argument here. > Allowing kids to work for construction is going to improve lives more than blindly pushing everyone regardless of desire or aptitude in college and graduating them with a worthless degree and a half mil in debt. That's pretty vivid imagery for someone who doesn't want an appeal to emotion. It even has "won't someone think of the children" vibes. The…

A lot of 14-17 year olds would find what you are saying about them very patronizing. It’s like you expect them to go from kids to adults the night the minute 18? I learned how to use a band saw in shop class when I was in 8th grade. Now we don’t even let kids ride the bus alone until they turn 18.

Not all kids are challenged by high school. I was working full time my junior and senior years while taking physics 1 and 2 as well as pre calc and calculus. Really, it didn’t have much to offer me, I would have been really bored if not allowed to work. It’s weird because I had to cut back after 18, turns out college isn’t as easy as high school even though there is a lot less class time.

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

#125

Post by locopati »

jabroni_salad wrote: post #38
onetimeusename wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

so is this an issue Iowans are concerned about or is this a synthetic issue that corporations are astroturfing? I can't see it being a very high priority imo even though I am sympathetic to 14 yr olds who want money.

It is a real issue and not just repealing labor laws for funsies. There are too many predators and not enough prey in the ecosystem. Either we need to accept that some of the businesses will starve or find a way to increase the labor force.

Maybe they should pay more. That's usually the way to attract workers.

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

#126

Post by Kon-Peki »

foooobaba wrote: post #116
Kon-Peki wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Iowa is mostly a rural state Iowa isn't mostly a rural state (though I'm sure plenty of Iowans think that way). It's approaching 65-70% urban - not even close to being in the top 10 most rural states in the US. What is really surprising it that the small towns all over Iowa have excellent urban form. Suburban sprawl is mostly limited to Des Moines, with a little bit in Council Bluffs (part of the Omaha metro area).…

Iowa is the 12th most rural state according to 2020 US census [1][2]. It is 63.2%, urban, so true it’s not mostly rural in terms of total population, but it’s pretty rural. [1] https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/g... [2] https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ua/State_Urban_Ru...

The 2020 Census was messed up, partly because of Covid and partly due to "politics".

I stand by my assertion that Iowa is the area of 65-70% urban and within a group of states that are in that range. It could just as easily be the 20th most rural state as the 12th. But go back and look at that list - this group of states are significantly more urban than the ~10 most rural states.

Iowa doesn't have a lot of small landholdings outside of the towns/cities. Basically you are either living on a city-sized lot or a 100+ acre farm, with very little in between. So there is definitely the rural identity associated with Iowa, but the population facts paint a very different picture.

You really should take a trip out there and visit some smaller towns. The urbanity will surprise you.

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

#127

Post by ejb999 »

pjc50 wrote: post #60
ejb999 wrote: post #49

I worked in heavy construction and roofing from 14 until I went to college - helped paid for quite a bit of it - I don't see a problem here. Nobody is forced to work, and you need to parents permission. Washington post thinks it is OK that 12 year olds, are old enough to consent to sex change operations, without their parents permission, but a 17 year old doing hard work with their parents permission is not OK?

> consent to sex change operations, without their parents permission This doesn't happen and the news sources which say it does are lying to you.

https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/liias/2023/05/09/legislation-...

Is this news source lying to me?

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