Really? A roll-back on child labor laws? What would Frances Perkins say?

The latest amendment to L.D. 516 would permit employers to schedule teens to work up to 24 hours during the school week, up to six hours on a school day and keep them working until 11 o’clock on a school night.

Maine’s child labor laws were first enacted in 1847, and strengthened repeatedly over the years. The reason? Educators complained that students forced to work long hours outside of school were falling asleep in class and failing to succeed in school.

The current law limiting working hours for 16 and 17 year-olds was forged through bipartisan agreement in the legislature about the need to balance employer interests with the health and welfare of Maine children. Indeed, according to the Legislative Record, the original bill was referred to as the “Put Learning First, Put Working Second” bill.

Mainers have rightly raised their voices over the past two days over the historic mural’s removal.

Now it’s time we raise our voices and urge our legislators to uphold the workplace protections that are part of this history.

The New New Deal: Building an Economy That Works for All of Us
Saturday, May 2nd, 8:30 am – 3:00 PM

The University of Maine Hutchinson Center Route 3, Belfast

Join us for a conference exploring ways to strengthen our economy and create a better life for all. You can register online at this site. Questions? Call us at 207-208-8955, or email us at info@FrancesPerkinsCenter.org.

Speakers include:
• Teresa Ghilarducci, (Distinguished Senior Fellow at Demos working on issues of retirement security and social policy and the Schwartz Professor of Economic Policy Analysis at the New School for Social Research): “Picturing an economy that works for all”
• Maine House Speaker Hannah Pingree: “The role of government in building an economy that works for all”
• Maine Commissioner of Labor Laura Fortman: “Lessons from Frances Perkins and the New Deal”

Workshop Topics and their leaders include:
• New Kinds of Work for a New Workforce – Leader: Cliff Ginn, president of Opportunity Maine
• Self-Employed, Part-Time, Under-Employed — Where’s my Safety Net? – Leader: Laura Boyette, director of the Maine State Bureau of Unemployment
• The Changing Shape of Retirement – Leader: John Christie, Manager of the Augusta Career Center and member of the Older Workers Task Force
• What Women Workers Want (and Need) – Leader: Sarah Standiford, executive director of the Maine Women’s Lobby and the Maine Women’s Policy Center
• Health Care for All – Leader: Garrett Martin, economic policy analyst at Maine Center for Economic Policy
• Unions in the 21st Century – Leader: Tim Belcher, executive director of Maine State Employees Association

Panel moderator: Ben Dudley, executive director of Engage Maine

Registration is $35 ($20 for high school or college students), payable by check in advance or at the door. Continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks included.

SPACE IS LIMITED – PLEASE REGISTER SOON