I really really hope you’re right that it will go beyond performative justice. It could just as easily be in Maine or any other state.
Okay, that company is a majority owned subsidiary of Hyundai, and the kids at question were contractors, getting their pay from a contracting company, which has all the liability. That contractor might be shut down, but yeah, the subsidiary will only be fined or just warned. Hyundai itself will escape unscathed, except for the PR nightmare. Which so far isn’t much. This needs to be spread.
Definitely–I’m sure your politicians are looking closely at how to change labor laws to make everything squeaky clean here. Wait, you say that Federal labor law makes this illegal? Well, that might be something for the new Supreme Court to decide, including whether the US Department of Labor even has the authority to set age requirements. States’ rights!
How can they be contractors if they’re too young to legally work, too young to legally sign a contract?
Easy. They’re hired by HyundEmp (or some other employee leasing firm set up exclusively for this setting). HyundEmp is contracted by Hyundai to provide workers. Hyundai may pay a fine, but HyundEmp takes the fall. Then, a new employee leasing firm magically appears named DaiLoyee contracted to supply workers, until it’s found they’re paying below minimum wage, then a new employee leasing firm… Hyundai didn’t break laws, their consultants did. Just don’t look into who actually owns these firms.
They are called “contract workers” not because Hyundai directly contracted with them, but because Hyundai signed a contract with another company to supply them.
Being Alabama, the only people they will send to jail will likely be the parents of these kids, for not sending them to school. After all, they don’t sound like white kids.
Much smaller businesses aren’t using temp/staffing agencies to provide unskilled labor. It’s going to be the labor agency that gets shut down, not the factory. They have plausible deniability.
barely.
Right. Enforced by people who no doubt get big campaign donations from the factories. Not tom mention the immigrant parents don’t vote.
You didn’t notice the 13 year-old on the line?
Nah, we thought it was just an extended bring your kid to work day.
I’m wondering what sort of work there is for unskilled temporary labor in a stamping plant. I’ve never been in one but my understanding is that it can be quite a dangerous place.
They’re essential! Their fingers polish the inside of the metal casings! How else am I to polish the insides of the stamped metal casings? You tell me!?
With robots, the way other companies do it.
Without the unions, you get neither the standard laws, nor the basic enforcement.
The other workers are probably smart enough to know that if labor laws are not enforced, then whistleblower protections will not be enforced, either.
Just to be clear, Bear was quoting Schindler’s List.
Off Topic and too political hidden by {What Exit?}
I think it’s likely these underage workers used fake id provided by their parents. Even if they looked older it seems somebody should have asked some questions. Political correctness and fear of “offending” would be a good motivating factor for people to stay silent.
Are you fucking kidding? Far more likely bribes were involved.
When the only tool you have is a noose…
You know, I worked last semester in a human trafficking clinic, and of all the reasons why trafficking victims stay silent or go unreported (fear of reprisal, fear of deportation, lack of access to funds/communication tools, outright threats and coercion, etc, etc) I don’t recall “political correctness” ever coming up.