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The Industrial Revolution began the “boom” in child labor (even though child labor had existed for many centuries).
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The New England Association of Farmers, Mechanics and Other Workingmen resolve that “Children should not be allowed to labor in the factories from morning till night, without any time for healthy recreation and mental culture,” for it “endangers their . . . well-being and health”.
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Massachusetts requires children under 15 working in factories to attend school at least 3 months per year.
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Early trade unions at the National Trades’ Union Convention propose requiring state minimum age laws for factory work.
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Massachusetts limits children’s workdays to 10 hours; other states soon pass similar laws—but most of these laws are not consistently enforced.
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Working Men’s Party proposes banning the employment of children under the age of 14.
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The first national convention of the American Federation of Labor passes a resolution calling on states to ban children under 14 from wage labor.
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The New York labor movement, under the leadership of Samuel Gompers, attempts to end child labor in the cigar industry by successfully sponsoring legislation that bans production in tenements, where many of young children work in the trade.
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Florence Kelley publishes “Our Toiling Children”, which outlines the state of child labor and urges consumers to use their influence to improve working conditions.
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Aggressive national campaign for federal child labor law reform begins.
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Walsh-Healey Act states U.S. government will not purchase goods made by underage children.
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Federal regulation of child labor achieved in Fair Labor Standards Act
For the first time, minimum ages of employment and hours of work for children are regulated by federal law.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs this. -
The International Labour Organization’s Convention 138 becomes international law. Known as the “Minimum Age Convention,” it sets out to abolish child labor among school-aged children.
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At the conclusion of a successful congressional forum on child labor, the National Consumers League and the International Labor Rights Fund establish the Child Labor Coalition, a U.S.-based member organization to work on domestic and international child labor issues.
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Senator Tom Harkin first proposes the Child Labor Deterrence Act, which would ban the importation of products made with child labor. He reintroduces the legislation in 1993, 1995, 1997, and 1999.
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The Associated Press publishes a series entitled “Children for Hire” on the continuing exploitation of children working in US agriculture.
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Human Rights Watch publishes a report outlining the exploitation of children in US agriculture entitled “Fingers to the Bone: United States Failure to Protect Child Farmworkers.” A follow-up report in 2010 reveals that these conditions still exist.
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The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE) is introduced by Senator Tom Harkin in the Senate and Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard in the House. This bill would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to increase penalties for violations of child labor laws and repeal certain exemptions from child labor prohibitions for agricultural employment.
