It’s bad enough corporate-backed politicians across the country are rolling back workers’ rights when they should be creating jobs. Now Maine's Legislature is looking to turn back child labor laws.
The minimum wage in Maine is $7.50 an hour, but children under the age of 20 will be paid $5.25 an hour for their first 180 days on the job if LD 1346 passes. The bill, otherwise known as, “An Act to Enhance Access to the Workplace for Minors,” also eliminates the maximum number of hours a child over 16 can work during the school year. Rep. David Burns (R-Whiting), sponsor of the legislation, told the Bangor Daily News:
The minimum wage in Maine is $7.50 an hour, but children under the age of 20 will be paid $5.25 an hour for their first 180 days on the job if LD 1346 passes. The bill, otherwise known as, “An Act to Enhance Access to the Workplace for Minors,” also eliminates the maximum number of hours a child over 16 can work during the school year. Rep. David Burns (R-Whiting), sponsor of the legislation, told the Bangor Daily News:
An employer’s got to have employees, so they can decide what they want to pay. The student wants to have a job, and they can decide what they’re willing to work for.Actually, with this legislation, Rep. Burns and his colleagues get to decide how low businesses can set the bar for paying kids to work. And what business is going to hire adults when they can have children work for $2.25 less an hour?
Sen. Debra Plowman (R-Hampden) is also sponsoring a bill that loosens restrictions on hours that teens can work. The bill, which would allow children to work longer hours and until 11 p.m., is headed for a vote in the Senate.
Some good-ish news—an effort to kill child labor laws in Missouri appears pretty much dead. The kids are safe there for now.
But still. Isn't this supposed to be the 21st century, not the 19th?
But still. Isn't this supposed to be the 21st century, not the 19th?
