‘Children are not products:’ Lauren McNally advocates against child labor in Ohio

A local representative is taking action to bolster the state of Ohio’s fight against illegal child labor and stop sweeping cases under the rug.

Rep. Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) called on the Ohio Department of Commerce to increase oversight and intervention in child labor.

Lauren McNally looking to take action after report of child labor in Kidron, Ohio

She wants the ODC to increase their oversight after two dozen minors were found working in a poultry plant in Kidron, Ohio, according to a report by NBC.

According to McNally’s office, the plant was run by Gerber’s Poultry and many of the minors were originally from Guatemala.

“These are serious, and common, transgressions that call for heightened oversight and intervention by the Ohio Department of Commerce. Exploitation of children should never be tolerated, and I take these incidents very seriously,” said McNally.

She emphasized that the state needs to look at the gaps in enforcement of existing child labor laws.

“Children are not products, they are kids and they are vulnerable,” said Rep. McNally. “We should be investing in workers, not turning our babies into another cog in the economic wheel. One person’s profits are not more important than the future of this state, or our children. I look forward to the future collaboration between the Ohio legislature and the ODC to ensure that we receive the resources and funding to keep our children safe.”

Read the letter sent to the Ohio Department of Commerce:

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