John,

85 years ago, the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 outlawed the most exploitative forms of child labor, including work in coal mines, glass factories, and machine shops.

These were dangerous jobs, where children developed black lung disease, lost limbs or fingers, or were killed in workplace accidents. Further, when children worked long hours, they were cut off from schooling and health care, with deleterious effects on their lives over the long term.

Now, several states have introduced or enacted legislation to bring child labor back. The results have been tragic, such as the death of a 16-year-old boy in a sawmill accident in Wisconsin. In 2022, the Labor Department identified over 3,800 child labor violations, the highest level of incidents since 2008, many involving major corporations such as McDonald's.

Legislation recently signed into law in Iowa dramatically extends the hours children are allowed to work, and places them on the most dangerous worksites, such as demolition and construction sites, meatpacking and Pepsi bottling plants.

Now, U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee and Hillary Scholten have launched a task force to combat child labor. We must end the cynical exploitation of children for corporate greed. Sign the petition now to urge Congress to stand up against the abuses of child labor.

An analysis by the US Department of Labor (DOL) found many provisions in the Iowa law that are directly forbidden by federal standards, especially concerning 14- and 15-year olds. Federal law prohibits minors from working in meat freezers or industrial laundries, or working up to 6 hours per day, or until 9 p.m. when school is in session. The new Iowa law runs roughshod over all these protections.

And it’s not only in red states. The Koch brothers’ “Americans for Prosperity” is among the many pro-business groups across the country that have spent millions of dollars to lobby for the rollback of child labor laws -- begging the question, who exactly prospers here?

Other business groups that have chimed in include the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the National Restaurant Association, all putting corporate greed ahead of protecting children’s best interests.

In addition to setting a nationwide minimum wage and giving us the five-day work week, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ushered in a progressive era of workplace reform when it set the age to enter the workforce at 16.

Sign the petition now and urge Congress to protect children from the abuses of greedy corporations.

Thank you for honoring our obligation to keep our nation’s children safe from exploitation.

- Amanda

Amanda Ford, Director
Democracy for America
Advocacy Fund