1. Societal Issues in Apparel Manufacturing

2. Menu
1. Child labor
2. Sweatshops
3. Low wages

3. Societal Issues: Child Labor
Do you know another student who has a job and contributes to their family income?

4. Societal Issues: Child Labor
Throughout history children have always worked
What are reasons a child would work?
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1. Reasons for child labor: Poverty, to support their family, to support themselves, lack of schooling opportunities, to learn a trade. Some cultures believe it can be character building.

5. Societal Issues: Child labor
How would hard labor affect the childhood of a person? Image:
Steal their childhood, dangerous, physically, mentally, and emotionally damaging

6. Societal Issues: Child Labor
In the US, in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s child labor was a serious problem
Children worked long hours in dangerous and unhealthy sweatshops and in unsafe conditions
How would you describe a sweatshop?

7. Societal Issues: Sweatshops
Sweatshop: Manufacturing plant with dark, airless, uncomfortable and unhealthful working conditions.
A manufacturing plant may use child labor, illegal immigrants, or slaves
Pays lower than minimum wage
Unclean and unsafe facilities
Long hours
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8. Societal Issues: Child Labor
What could have brought about changes in our country to improve the working conditions of child labor?
Labor unions, public opinion, media, accidents

9. Societal Issues: Child Labor
Famous accident stirring public opinion
The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire 1911
New York City
150 workers burned or jumped to their deaths
Lead to changes in Child Labor Laws
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10. Societal Issues: Child Labor Laws
Current US Child Labor Laws (General Description)
18 years old: any job at any number of hours
16-17: Any nonhazardous job at any number of hours
14-15: Nonmanufacturing, nonmining, nonhazardous job, but no longer than 3 hours per school day or 18 hours per school week. Only between 7am to 7 pm
Any age-Deliver newspapers, work for parents in nonfarm business, and perform on radio, TV, movie, or theater

11. Societal Issues: Child Labor Laws OSHA and Department of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration: OSHA
OSHA sets and enforces job safety and health standards
Department of Labor: Enforces labor laws

12. Student Opinion Are there sweatshops in the US today?
Why would someone work in a sweatshop in the US today?
Forever 21 Sweatshop in LA
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