Top 10 Management on The Use of Underage Labor: An Overview and Analysis of Child Labor

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Introduction

In this article, I am going to talk about the use of Underage Labor. I will explain what it is, the history of it and how it all got started, the countries it is most common in, what some people see as the advantages and/or disadvantages, the legislation on it, and some examples of companies who have gotten caught choosing to use underage labor.

The Idea in a Nutshell

Child labor is individuals under the age of 18 performing work that either harms them or keeps them from attending school. Social activists are unyielding on the fact that child labor is unethical and that companies should neither hire children under 18 to work full time nor buy any products from suppliers overseas that have underage workers. It is customary for 100-plus countries to employ children. Families in poverty lean on the money their children bring in from working and having their children go to school instead is unrealistic.

Children tend to work in commercial agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, mining, and domestic services types of businesses; while some children, work in prohibited areas such as the drug trade and prostitution or even being soldiers. Many of the children that are involved in the illegal area of work choose to work there because of the pressure imposed by the activists groups. Several countries have passed legislation forbidding the use of underage labor and regulating the employment of people under 18.

The 10 Things You Need to Know About the Use of Underage Labor

1.    What is Underage Labor? Underage labor is children under the age of 18 participating in full time work that can either harm them or keep them from attending school. Child labor must involve at least one of the following characteristics: violates a nation’s minimum age laws, threatens children’s physical, mental, or emotional well-being, involves intolerable abuse, prevents children from going to school, or using children to undermine labor standards. Most children go into work instead of continuing with school because their families are extremely poor.

2.    In the United States, slavery and child servitude was first documented as child labor. Child labor in the U.S. first started in agriculture and then moved to industrialized firms. Children were more manageable, cheaper, and less likely to strike. Many factories moved South due to the opposition in the North. Child labor began to decline in the early twentieth century when the labor and reform movements grew and labor standards became improving for workers. However, the continuation of child labor sparked controversy. By 1900, twenty-four states had minimum age limits set for manufacturing employment. Many historians believe state laws only represented a small fraction of the reason behind the reduction in child labor. They say the reason for it is because industrialization and economic growth brought rising incomes which allowed families the option to keep their children out of having to work.

3.    New studies are coming out that identify the key emerging economies that supply the world with manufactured goods and natural resources which are the countries which hold the worst average of underage workers. Many countries included in the highest risk areas include: Bangladesh, China, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. American children work in many different industries such as: mines, glass factories, textiles, agriculture, canneries, home industries, and as newsboys, messengers, bootblacks and peddlers.

4.    There are certain misconceptions when it comes to child labor. Certain exceptions allow children who are underage to work. Children are allowed at the age of 12 and 13 to work on family farms or small farms if their parents consent or if the parents work on the same farm. The Secretary of Labor sets forth that children at the age of 14 may work in food service jobs if it doesn’t interfere with their education. Children who work at home with their parents, deliver newspapers, or who work in the entertainment industry are all not covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act.

5.    First and foremost the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the minimum age for employment at 14, while also limiting the number of hours worked by minor under the age of 16. FLSA sets wage, hours worked, and safety requirements for people under the age of 18. The Bureau of International Labor Affair’s research and report on international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking.

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6.    The International Labor Organization (ILO) is a U.N. agency that combines representatives from areas of the government, the employer, and the workers. Member states can freely and openly debate and elaborate on labor standards and policies. This organization promotes a structure of decent work for all women and men.

7.    In 2001, a BBC documentary uncovered occurrences of child labor and poor working conditions in a Cambodian factory used by Nike. The documentary focused on six girls, who all worked seven days a week, often 16 hours a day. In 2005, Wal-Mart was caught using children from the ages of 10-14 in two factories in Bangladesh. In 2007, the GAP was caught using child labor to produce “GAP kids” clothing. Apple’s issues with the use of underage labor came about in 2006. In 2009, Apple admitted to hiring 11 workers of the age of 15 in countries where the age limit set to work was 16. Much to Bill Gates’ “surprise,” his company, Microsoft just recently in 2010 was caught employing 13-14 year olds in positions meant for 16-17 year olds, working six and seven days a week, and 15-hour shifts.

8.    Child laborers bring in money to their families who are usually very reliant on their ability to work. Their parents are too poor to be able to afford to only have themselves working. They either allow or force their children to get jobs working grueling hours for low pay because anything is better than nothing to them. However, children who work are missing out on their childhood. Many of them think it is normal what they are doing, being so young and working just as hard as their parents. They are also missing out on their opportunity for education, which could help them to get out of their families poor living habits to become something more for themselves.