CONDEMNATION OF CHILD LABOR AND WORKING AT HOME

WHEREAS, the Secretary of Labor has announced plans to reinstitute a practice out of the dark ages of America's industrial past, that of working at home in the jewelry and apparel industries; and

WHEREAS, this practice was banned from the United States over 40 years ago as a shameful and exploitive practice; and

WHEREAS, working at home precludes any enforcement of minimum wage, health and safety and all other labor protective laws; and

WHEREAS, working at home would bring back child labor to our manufacturing industries and would keep it hidden from public view; and

WHEREAS, the AFT has a responsibility to condemn proposals designed to exploit children for profit and interfere with their right to an education:

RESOLVED, that the AFT condemn the administration's plan for reinstituting homework and child labor and that the AFT work closely with the AFL-CIO and those unions most involved in this issue to inform the public of the abuses that will result from this return to federal encouragement of exploitation and the abuse of children.