DES MOINES, Iowa – Republicans in the Iowa Legislature have advanced a bill to roll back child labor laws to help allviate workforce shortages. The bill would:
> Allow anyone as young as 14 to work in previously prohibited jobs if part of a training program.
> Allow 16-year-olds to serve alcohol at bars with parental consent.
> Prohibit minors from slaughterhouses, meatpacking and mining jobs.
Labor unions view the legislation as an invitation to exploit children and interfere with their schooling. Charlie Wishman, president of Iowa Federation of Labor, noted that the bill fails to provide liability for injuries on the job: “You don’t write that into a bill unless you totally plan to exploit it.” Among supporters: The Iowa Grocery Industry Association and the Iowa Restaurant Association.