There are multiple opportunities in the remaining days of Alabama’s legislative session to push things in a better direction – toward an Alabama where hard work is respected, workers are protected, and companies receiving public support are held accountable.
Your Senator needs to hear from you.
Alabamians shouldn’t subsidize companies that violate child labor laws. But current laws lack safeguards that allow our public officials to recapture economic incentives from companies found to violate state or federal law by exploiting child workers.
SB 291 by Sen. Merika Coleman, D-Pleasant Grove, would remedy this shortcoming by removing tax incentives from companies that violate child labor laws.
At the same time, too many Alabamians work hard to earn a living but are just barely scraping by.
SB 171 by Sen. Robert Stewart, D-Selma, would implement a state minimum wage of $10 per hour.
This step forward would help workers and the overall economies of our state’s poorest areas. Many Alabama counties have seen population losses because people are forced out when they can no longer rely on a functional economy to earn enough to meet their needs and build a future. A $10 minimum wage would be an important step toward a sustainable economic future for many Alabama communities.
Email your state senator now and urge them to get these two bills moving this year.
Labor law violations, particularly those involving child workers, have increased throughout the United States in recent years. Prominent cases in Alabama have included the exploitation of child workers in the automobile supply chain. Another case saw the death of an underage worker illegally working on a construction site.
Economic development should reward companies that bring good jobs, treat workers well and follow labor laws. Removing incentives from companies proven to abuse workers protects Alabamians, and it evens the playing field for companies that follow the rules.
And raising wages helps working folks in all Alabama counties, especially rural communities, thrive.