The FLSA at 75

On June 25, 2013, we saw the 75th anniversary of the Fair Labor Standards Act ( FLSA ), a landmark piece of legislation signed by President Roosevelt in 1938. What did it do? Basically, it outlawed "oppressive child labor", imposed a federal minimum wage of 25 cents an hour, and limited work hours to 40 a week. A diamond jubilee later, we look into how well the FLSA in currently working.

Turn the clock back to 1938. Child labor is rampant, worker rights are being abused and conditions are terrible, and America still finds itself mired in one of the greatest economic collapses in history. This law was necessary to restore some sort of stability to the industry, but now it is not so favored among employers and employees alike.

On the employee side, the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is viewed as inadequate and insufficient for workers to escape the poverty level. Particularly galling to employee advocates is the "tipped minium wage" for restaurant waiters that is only $2.13 per hour in many states.

On the employer side, employees are being overworked ( over 40 hours ), with the misconception that if white-collar employees are paid a salary, then the 'overtime' rule does not apply. This has led to hundreds of FLSA cases and tens of millions of dollars of losses to companies.

But let me get to my real point - Child labor. A flurry of similar legislation in the 1930s helped almost completely get rid of this menace in the United States, but it wasn't just about the law - It was more about how well they enforced. Developing countries could do well to take after the US's war against child labor and poverty in the 1930's. With child labor still a prominent issue around the world, law enforcement, education, and alternative income are the most important things at hand right now.

Into India...

I have a feeling that I'm not going to get much readership this week, due to summer break. Therefore, I will treat you with a video of an ABC News investigation, straight into the slums of India.

ABC's Bob Woodruff went on an expedition into India's coal mines, where children as young as 9 work one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. The pitfalls and dangers that the children face every day of their miserable lives was almost too much for a grown, mature adult to bear. Check it out:

Hope you enjoy this video, and that it helps you better understand what really is behind child labor. 

World Day Against Child Labor

June 12 marked the 'World Day Against Child Labor', the day that activists all around the world united in one strong, outspoken voice against this menace of society. Today, we commemorate the efforts of those involved in the fight against child labor, but more than that, we recognize the enormity of this problem and the hundreds of millions of children still desperately hoping for a chance to break free from the shackles of bonded labor.

215 million. That's the number of child laborers in the world today. 1 in 6 children are child laborers, a fact that appears much more staggering when you put 1,000 children into a room - 167 would be child laborers. The statistics are grim, but the pictures are more so - Any child under 18 should not be subjected to such harsh and dangerous conditions.

There's a blurred line on what constitutes child labor. Are kids who work part-time and attend school in the remaining time child laborers? Are home-schooled children, who also help out greatly in the family business, child laborers? Is a 17 year old supermarket cashier a child laborer, if he or she has dropped out from high school? The age, situation, and occupation involved all determine the extent of child labor.

Another problem of child labor is weak law enforcement. Laws are one thing - There are plenty of national and international laws concerning child labor, but no one to enforce them. Often, the police turn a blind eye to the situation, or in some cases, are in leagues with the employer. Its brave organizations like Childline and BBA that work to combat this unfortunate truth with demonstrations, raids, and rescues of this own.

On the World Day Against Child Labor, I urge you all to get involved in the fight. The power of people, working together, is boundless and limitless, and just like slavery, child labor can become history if we will and want it to. As Aesop once said - "United we stand, divided we fall."