A tragic sawmill accident in Wisconsin that lead to the death of a 16-year-old employee is putting a spotlight on labor laws in the U.S.
In a July 2 press release, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office said that a 16-year-old was found unresponsive at Florence Hardwoods after an industrial accident at the mill on June 29. He was transported to Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson and then to Milwaukee Children’s Hospital before succumbing to his injuries.
According to a CBS News report, the teen was named Michael Schuls and his father, Jacob Schuls, also worked at the sawmill. He said that his son’s organs are being donated to around seven people, including his own mother, who needs a new liver.
Michael Schuls attended Florence High School, where he played football, basketball, baseball, and soccer, per his obituary. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, spending time with his family, and hanging out with his friends and his dog, Buckley, it said.
“Michael was helpful, thoughtful, humorous, selfless, hardworking, loving, and the absolute best son, brother, uncle, and friend,” the obituary added.
“Our small community is in absolute shock,” said a GoFundMe established for Schuls’ family.
In a report on his death, Mother Jones noted that Department of Labor statistics show a steady uptick in child labor violations in recent years – including a 37% jump in the number of minors employed in violation of child labor laws last year compared to 2021.
“Many of the children who are working in the most dangerous jobs, like construction, are unaccompanied migrant children who are often in debt to the people who smuggled them into the country,” said the report.
Last summer, Audacy reported on a metal stamping plant near Montgomery, Ala., that employed child laborers as young as 12 years old. This February, there was another report of more than 100 children age 13 to 17 who were employed in hazardous positions by one of the nation’s largest food safety sanitation services providers.
“But instead of suggesting solutions like raising fines for companies that illegally employ children, Republicans in various state legislatures have recently proposed laws to loosen child labor restrictions,” said Mother Jones. “The bills range from seemingly innocuous (like allowing teens as young as 14 to serve alcohol in restaurants) to downright alarming (like letting kids of that age work in industrial laundries and meat coolers).”
For example, a GOP-led bill was signed into law this year in Iowa, according to CNN.
“With this legislation Iowa joins 20 other states in providing tailored, common sense labor provisions that allow young adults to develop their skills in the workforce. In Iowa, we understand there is dignity in work and we pride ourselves on our strong work ethic,” said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Instilling those values in the next generation and providing opportunities for young adults to earn and save to build a better life should be available.”
However, there are signs of progress related to child labor.
This Wednesday marked 21st World Day Against Child Labor, per the International Labour Organization. That day, U.S. legislators introduced new legislation to address child labor on farms in the U.S., Human Rights Watch reported.
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