The illegal use of child labor in the United States has increased by 69% since 2018. The Ministry of Labor reported this on Monday, which announced new measures to combat the virus. labor exploitation of minors, many of them immigrants.
“During the last fiscal period, the ministry found that 835 companies were investigated. They employed more than 3,800 minors in violation of labor laws,” he said in a joint statement with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The maximum fine that can be imposed for violating labor laws is $15,138 Retail, which he says is “not enough” to deter large profit-making companies.
We have a legal and moral obligation to do everything we can to prevent child labour.
These actions reinforce our efforts to thoroughly investigate child labor violations and hold companies accountable. https://t.co/DHltBtXZVM
— Secretary Marty Walsh (@SecMartyWalsh) February 27, 2023
US Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the note that all children in this country, regardless of their circumstances, deserve “the protection and care” that is expected of their own children.
In the United States, there is a flood of migrant children from Latin America, “fleeing violence and poverty, most of them with no family” in the host country, the text said.
In mid-February, the Department of Labor announced the resolution of one of the largest illegal child labor cases in the Department’s history.
The Packer Medical Services Subscription (PSSI) paid more than $1.5 million in fines for illegally employing at least 102 children exposed to unsafe conditions in 13 factories. Meat processing.
Government inspectors found the 13- to 17-year-olds worked night shifts cleaning dangerous industrial equipment, including chainsaws, with toxic chemical compounds. At least three of them suffered injuries.
In addition, the Justice Department has expanded the investigation to investigate whether a human trafficking ring led migrant children to work in meatpacking plants in several states.
The announcement comes a day after the New York Times reported that many migrant children who come to the United States unaccompanied by their parents end up in jobs no one wants. very harsh conditions.
Specifically, the paper spoke to more than 100 underage immigrants in 20 states who work in slaughterhouses in Delaware, Mississippi and North Carolina; as a carpenter in Florida and Tennessee; or as a lumberjack on the night shift in South Dakota.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre added at a press conference that the decision to create an intergovernmental task force to combat child exploitation made it clear that the administration “will continue to investigate and hold companies accountable.” call”.
“We also need Congress to step in and provide the resources this administration has long been asking for to better enforce child labor laws,” said Jean-Pierre, who stressed that child labor is “unacceptable” and can be “abuse.” are.
With information from EFE
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
