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Child labor bill raises concerns
By Bill Teeter Tribune-Herald staff writer
Farm organizations are concerned that pending legislation meant to stop
child farm labor abuses would interfere or even eliminate vocational
training programs and wipe out youth employment opportunities.
Congressional staff contacted about the bill attempted to reassure those
interested in farm labor and teenagers that it will not have the effect
that is worrying the American Farm Bureau and its
The bill is called the Children’s Act for Responsible Employment of
2009. It is meant to keep migrant farm workers’ children from working in
dangerous conditions in farm fields.
Abuses revealed
Helping to spur the legistation was a report from the group Human Rights
Watch. It detailed current abuses in fields tended by migrant workers
and which affected children working there.
Concerns involved generally unsafe working conditions, exposure to
pesticides, work hours and keeping children out of school.
U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif., introduced the bill in late
2009. Its co-sponsors include Reps. Henry Cuellar and Charles Gonzalez,
both Texas Democrats.
The American Farm Bureau and Texas Farm Bureau issued a May policy alert
about the legislation.
The bulletin states that the Fair Labor Standards Act has allowed teens
younger than age 18 to work in agriculture on farms and ranches.
The
Steve Pringle, legislative director for the Texas Farm Bureau, said the
agency is worried about youths getting the chance to gain valuable
experience working on farms in safe conditions in a non-migrant worker
setting.
Such experience includes work programs under 4-H and Future Farmers of
America.
Farm work is a staple for
“It’s getting harder and harder for teens to find employment,” he said.
“If we expect them to have the skills they need in the workplace, we
need to have ways to get them experience.
“Do we really need to wait until they are 18 to do that?”
Cuellar spokeswoman Ashley Patterson, responding in an e-mail, said that
educational programs are exempt from the
Protecting children
Patterson added that the act only protects children from unfair labor
practices, rather than preventing youths from working on farms.
A press statement from Roybal-Allard’s office said teenagers ages 16 and
older could work in agriculture under the bill.
A worker would have to be at least age 18 to work more hazardous jobs.
Youths ages 14 and 15 can work in some agriculture jobs in limited
shifts and outside of school hours.
Staff for Roybal-Allard also said it would not affect vocational
programs.
Gonzalez spokeswoman Patty Park said the congressman’s position is that
the protections for children in the bill are important.
The bill is in its early stages and any concerns can still be addressed
in the legislative process, she said.
“If there are concerns on that, I’m sure that will be taken into
consideration,” Park said.
Don Lipton, a spokesman for the American Farm Bureau, said the
organization’s position hasn’t changed since the bulletin was issued.
The legislation’s intent may be simply to protect children from doing
hand-harvesting under bad conditions, but it could have consequences in
other agricultural areas.
The Texas Farm Bureau will continue to push to make sure that doesn’t
happen, Lipton said.
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