Labor Laws Weren’t Simply Wished Into Being

Shown here: Oyster shuckers from South Carolina in 1912. Josie (6 years old), Bertha (6 years old) and Sophie (10 years old) would start work at 4 AM at the Maggioni Canning Co.

Here’s a question: How do you think child labor laws came into being?

Let’s put it another way. What do you think is more likely: a) Mr. Maggioni decided that what he was doing was cruel and thus socially unacceptable, or that b) the progressives of the day got together, protested, and forced the Maggionis of the world to change their HR practices.

The same can be said about the 40-hour workweek, the 8-hour workday, overtime pay, anti-discrimination, worker safety, and many dozens of other labor laws that we take for granted.

Plenty of people were hanged for protesting the brutal conditions of the time, so that you and I can live in a relatively sane workplace.