Labor Day’s children – National Consumers League

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By Guest Blogger Brigid O’Farrell

Brigid O’Farrell is an independent scholar living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her new book, “She Was One of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Worker,” will be released by Cornell University Press in October. She is affiliated with the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, George Washington University, and a member of UAW Local 1981.

“Labor Day,” wrote First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in her My Day column, “must be one of the most significant days on our calendar. On this day we should think with pride of the growing place which the worker is taking in this country…That is as it should be in a democracy.”

This year, workers don’t have much to celebrate. Unemployment is at a record high, reaching over 12 percent in California. Union membership in the private sector has declined nationwide to just over seven percent, a level not seen since the Great Depression. The most vulnerable workers are children.

Human Rights Watch reports that hundreds of thousands of children continue to work on farms and orchards picking tomatoes, corn, melons, berries–all the fresh fruits and vegetables we enjoy at our Labor Day picnics. Children under 18 work as seasonal and migratory workers, exempt from the laws governing other children. Many work long hours in extreme temperatures, often receiving poverty wages, exposed to hazardous materials and dangerous equipment.  By some estimates their school drop out rate is 50 percent, contributing to future poverty.

At the age of 74, and in failing health, Eleanor Roosevelt, a union member for more than 25 years, joined the National Farm Labor Advisory Committee. She testified before Congress and in her column praised a report recommending that “all farm workers, who are now usually exempted, should be included in Federal and State laws requiring union recognition and collective bargaining, setting fair standards for wages and hours of work and providing for unemployment compensation.”

She told the story of a 12-year-old girl, Christine Hayes, whose “scalp and most of her face were ripped off by a potato-digging machine while she and other child laborers were helping to harvest the potato crop on a farm near Blackfoot, Idaho.” She wrote that the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, a pillar of the New Deal, had exempted children doing agricultural work from its protections. “Therefore, there are legally, hundreds of thousands of children between the ages of 10 and 13,” she wrote, “who are permitted to work, and many, many more—some of them as young a six and seven years old—who are illegally employed. This should be corrected by law immediately.” It was not.

Fifty years later, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is taking action. The daughter of immigrant farm workers and former Congresswoman from California, she is has initiated an effort to enforce the existing laws by hiring more investigators and increasing employer fines. Congresswoman Lucille Roybal –Allard of California, has introduced the “Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (CARE), to stop 12 and 13 year olds from working in the fields, to limit working hours by 14 and 15 year olds, to keep teenagers out of dangerous jobs, to bring pesticide exposure levels into line with the EPA, and to increase employer penalties.

More farm workers are employed in California than in any other state. As we enjoy our Labor Day picnics and watch our children return to school, let’s remember the children who have helped to feed us, many of whom have been injured, and even more who have dropped out school. Eleanor Roosevelt said that these children “represented the future” just as much as all the other children we know and love.

Labor Day reflections – National Consumers League

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By John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud

On Monday, September 7, Americans across the country will enjoy a day of in observance of the Labor Day holiday.  This Labor Day marks the 128th time the holiday will be celebrated and the 116th Labor Day since it became a federal holiday in 1894. For the National Consumers League, Labor Day is especially significant as many of the early leaders of the League came out of the labor movement. Unions continue to play a key role in the advocacy of NCL to this day.  Indeed, our mission statement makes clear that NCL is as much concerned with helping workers as consumers.

So what does this mean on Labor Day?  While we enjoy the last days of summer, take a moment to reflect on the many ways that unions have benefitted consumers and workers.  Things we take for granted today – the 8-hour work day, a guaranteed minimum wage, weekends, safe workplaces, paid sick leave, and employer-based health insurance are just a few of the achievements that America’s labor movement that benefit us all.

Consumers play a role in consumer and worker advocacy with every purchase.  Florence Kelley, the founder of NCL articulated this concept beautifully when she  said “to live means to buy, to buy means to have power, to have power means to have responsibility.”  Consumer spending accounts for approximately three quarters of all spending in the U.S.  What we choose to spend our money on has an enormous impact on how companies treat their workers.  When we as consumers choose to buy products and services from companies that treat their workers fairly, look out for the welfare of their customers, and maintain responsible stewardship of the environment, we are standing up for the principles that Kelley laid out more than 100 years ago.

This Labor Day, remember that every dollar you spend in the market is a choice.  With each responsible choice you make, another brick is added to the foundation of the just and fair society that NCL strives to create every day.

On Labor Day, Remember These Striking Workers – National Consumers League

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By Reid Maki, Director of Social Responsibility and Fair Labor Standards

With Labor Day upon us, think for a moment about the workers at Mott’s apple juice plant in Williamson, New York. The workers are striking because the company that owns Mott’s—a conglomerate called Dr Pepper Snapple Group—tried to cut workers’ wages as it recorded record profits. “It’s disgusting, honestly, the they want to take things away from the people who made them profitable,” Michell Muoio, a $19-an-hour machine operator who works in the plant told the New York Times in a recent story about the strike.

There is a pretty good chance you consume one of Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s products. In addition to Mott’s, Dr Pepper and Snapple, it makes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Penafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, and Venom Energy.

According to reporter Steven Greenhouse, Dr Pepper Snapple Group–despite running at a very healthy profit–tried to lower workers’ wages $1.50 an hour because it felt that the facility’s pay was too high for the area, which is economically depressed after years of layoffs from firms like Kodak and Xerox. Dr Pepper Snapple Group made $555 million in 2009. Not surprisingly, the workers—numbering 300-plus–said, “no” and went out on strike. That was in mid-April and the workers are still picketing with the company refusing to negotiate.

In addition to the wage cut, the company hopes to eliminate pensions for future workers, freeze pensions for current workers, decrease its contributions to the 401 K plan, and increase employee contributions toward health care premiums and co-pays. These moves might be acceptable if the company were losing serious money and in danger of going under, but for a company that is making lots of money to do it is pretty frightening and one can’t help fearing that this type of action will spread if the corporation is successful in Williamson.

The race to the bottom is becoming an increasingly familiar refrain in processing facilities and factories in the United States: Why pay workers decently if you don’t have to? In the early 1900s, Henry Ford realized that if he wanted to sell cars to the masses, the masses had to make a living wage. Today, though, many corporate bosses see no responsibility for their workers’ and their consumers’ well-being. The more they lower costs, the more their stock prices go up—and often the larger their bonus is. It’s Gordon Gecko thinking: Greed is good!

Larry Young is the CEO of the company. According to the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, Young made $6.5 million last year and he’s averaged nearly 30 percent raises for each of the last three years. By contrast, veteran plant workers like Ms. Muoio earn less than $40,000 a year without overtime. The National Consumers League believes that kind of salary chasm between the CEO’s salary and a rank-and-file employee’s salary isn’t healthy.

When visitors go to Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s home page, they are immediately told about the company’s $1 million tuition giveaway, the company’s corporate philanthropy program, and their civic “play day” program.  But we’re left wondering why their corporate philanthropy can’t start with treating their workers well. How does driving down wages and benefits fit with corporate philanthropy?

In late August, 29 members of New York’s congressional delegation asked the company to return to the negotiating table. We hope the company listens.

FDA official offers open ears to consumer advocates – National Consumers League

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Recently, NCL convened a consumer roundtable with the Deputy Commissioner of the FDA, Dr. Joshua Sharfstein. NCL has historically convened consumer advocates to meet with – and ask questions of – the FDA Commissioners.

Dr. Sharfstein opened with general remarks about his experience at the Administration, and offered some insight into how the FDA is truly a public health agency. He also remarked on many of the internal changes underway at the FDA, much of it aimed at greater transparency and access to the public. For instance, the FDA has now made itself more accessible to the new media. The agency has also established FDA Track, which provides performance data for 100 different offices.

The consumer and food safety advocates were each given an opportunity to ask the Deputy Commissioner questions. Questions and answers touched on a variety of topics, including risk (in medicine and in food safety), the medical device approval process, evidence-based decision-making and the regulatory process, public outreach and involvement, recalls (OTC products), antibiotics in animal feed, the food safety bill, working with Congress, inspection and deceptive advertising, among other topics. The Deputy Commissioner was very candid and listened with open ears to what the consumer advocates had to say.

NCL hopes to reconvene the Deputy Commissioner and consumer groups again in the near future for similarly fruitful discussions. Pew Charitable Trusts graciously hosted the event.  NCL also thanks the FDA and the Office of the Commissioner for their support and time.

Let kids be kids! – National Consumers League

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By Mimi Johnson, NCL Director of Health Policy

With new reports that girls are hitting puberty at alarmingly young ages and as the nation increasingly focuses on the obesity epidemic ravaging our youth, we need to remember that they are still children.

We’ve created an environment that pins children against typically adult problems. Diabetes. Early signs of heart disease. Early puberty – and all that comes with it.   We need to remember, however, that they are still kids beneath it all and we need to treat them in a way that they can emotionally and psychologically understand.

The BBC reported recently on a girl who had stopped eating because she saw a letter that contained the results of a national health survey, which found that she was overweight. Her solution? She decided she needed to stop eating. While we as society recognize that the younger generation is not as fit as they should be, and that it can have long-lasting effects on their health and society, we also need to develop better ways of addressing it. In other words, our solution should not encourage an 11-year-old girl to lose weight by inadvertently drive her to anorexia.

When we talk about behavior change in adults, we often emphasize the importance of meeting them where they are. The First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign is a wonderfully kid-appropriate effort to combat childhood obesity.

Remember, just because she’s hit puberty earlier does not mean we should encourage them to abandon their youth altogether.

Plan ahead for healthy school lunches – National Consumers League

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The days are getting shorter, the summer heat is cooling down, and vacations are wrapping up, all of which means one thing: back to school season is officially underway. Whether your young ones are dreading going back or eagerly looking forward to reuniting with old friends and favorite teachers, a healthy lunch will go a long way toward ensuring that first day back is a good one.

This year children will have healthier options available at school, thanks to the enactment of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. New guidelines mean more fruits and vegetables and more whole grains at both lunch and breakfast. Additionally, schools will be substantially cutting down on salt in meals and enforcing maximum calorie limits. These options mean that school lunches will now be a healthier alternative to packing from home.

If your child buys lunch at school, view it as an opportunity to guide him or her to choose healthy options when faced with a range of choices. To help ensure that the lunch on your student’s cafeteria tray is a healthy one, consider the following tips:

Talk nutrition. If your child knows what constitutes a healthy meal, and why it is important to eat foods that are good for him/her (having energy, staying healthy, growing, etc.), it will be easier to establish an understanding of why healthy choices are important at lunchtime. Give your child some tangible markers for creating a healthy meal: including a fruit and a vegetable, choosing whole grains over white, picking a protein source, and opting for plain milk or water over sweetened beverages.

Underscore the importance of eating lunch. Particularly for younger children, the playground, friends, and other distractions can prove more compelling than sitting down to eat. Discuss with your child how eating a healthy lunch will help him/her feel good, have energy, and be able to concentrate the rest of the day.

Review the menu. Look at the daily or weekly menu with your child and discuss which items are good choices and which are “occasional” choices. Let your child choose when he/she wants to have a special treat (for example, “pizza Mondays” or “chocolate milk Wednesdays”), and come up with a game plan for making healthier choices most of the time. It is best not to create “forbidden” foods. By planning together when your child will choose a favorite, less healthy food, you increase the likelihood that your child will stay open, truthful, and guilt-free about choices made in the cafeteria. Refrain from judging your child’s less-than-ideal choices, and instead focus on doing better next time.

When possible, packing lunch for or with your child helps ensure a healthy midday meal. Whether you pack on a daily basis, or only occasionally send your child with a homemade lunch, keep these important points in mind:

Pack a safe lunch. Ensuring a safe lunch means keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold, from the time your child leaves the house until he/she sits down to eat. Use a thermos for hot foods, such as soup, and include a cold pack with foods that need to stay chilled. If possible, pack your child’s lunch in an insulated bag. Remember not to put items that need to be hot and items that need to stay cold in the same bag. Finally, don’t forget to wash lunch bags in between uses.

Meet your child’s caloric needs. Children’s caloric needs vary greatly, depending on age, activity level, and other factors. Talk to your child’s pediatrician to get a general estimate of what his/her caloric needs are, and aim to provide one third of those calories at lunch time. Perhaps most importantly, talk to your child about whether he/she was still hungry after lunch, or had lots of leftovers. When consistently allowed to follow their bodies’ hunger signals from a young age, children have a much better chance of eating the amount they need and stopping when they are full. Include non-perishable lunch items (apples, trail mix) that can be saved for later, or even left in a backpack or locker for another day.

Pack foods your child will eat. The nutritional quality of the lunch you pack means nothing if your child refuses to eat it (or trades components away for more appealing options). Brainstorm with your child to come up with healthy options that he/she wants to eat. See if dinner leftovers, soups, or salads appeal to your child. If he/she is tired of sandwiches or more traditional lunches, think in terms of smaller “snacks” that together create a healthy meal.

  • Sample “outside the sandwich” meal: veggies and hummus, cheese cubes with whole grain crackers, and a piece of fruit provide the protein, carbohydrates, calcium, fruits and vegetables, and small amount of fat that growing children need. Be creative!

Pack healthier versions of the old stand-bys. If you have a picky eater who likes to eat the same things, day in and day out, try to up the nutritional content of lunches by making healthy substitutions that can go relatively unnoticed. Try the following swaps, and figure out the changes on which you and your child can agree:

  • Instead of high-fat lunch meats, choose lower-fat deli options such as turkey. If you face resistance, use mostly healthier deli meats with a slice of your child’s favorite for taste.
  • Swap out white bread for whole-grain bread. For picky eaters, even “white” wheat bread options are better than their white flour counterparts. When seeking out better options in the bread aisle, look for at least 3 grams of fiber per slice.
  • Substitute light mayo or mustard for full-fate mayonnaise
  • Offer baked chips, air-popped popcorn, or veggies with dip (if you can get away with it) in place of fried chips and similar snacks.
  • Offer low-fat, low-cal desserts or items with some nutritional value in place of junk. Instead of packing several cookies or a snack cake, send a favorite fruit, flavored yogurt, a small packet of fruit snacks, trail mix, or a small whole-grain muffin or cookie.

Be mindful of allergies. Check with your child’s school to ensure that there aren’t any items on the restricted list, due to other students’ allergies. Discuss with your child how food allergies make it particularly important that everyone eat the lunch that their own parent packed.

What health care reform means for young adults – National Consumers League

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The historic health reform battle ended in March, with the signing of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. While many of the law’s programs and benefits will be rolled out over the next 5-10 years, there will be several, more immediate, benefits that we will begin to see in the coming months.

You can actually see – state-by-state – which benefits have already been made available. It is now easier than ever to get access to health insurance.   Everyone will begin to see the benefits of the expanded access to affordable care – whether young adults, Medicare recipients, small business owners, or those just seeking additional preventive services.

What reform means for young adults

The new health care law enacted in March of 2010 has numerous provisions that will impact young adults. This demographic, though sometimes referred to as the ‘invincibles’, faces numerous health issues. The Department of Health and Human Services reports one in six young adults has a chronic illness and 30% are uninsured; young adults also have the lowest rate of access to employer-sponsored health insurance. The new law contains numerous provisions to cover young adults, whether through insurance provided through their employer, their parents’ health insurance, Medicaid changes, or the new Health Insurance Exchanges. Although many of its parts will not take effect until 2014, some major changes will occur in 2010.

Coverage

Before the law was passed, insurers could drop young adults from their parents’ health care plan when they turned 19, or upon graduation from college. The new law eliminates these practices. Starting in September 2010, dependent children up to the age of 26 will be eligible to remain on their parents’ plan, whether they are in college or not, living at home or residing in another state, or are single or married. The remaining exception, however, is that young adults offered coverage through their own job or if their parents’ existing plan does not qualify.

By 2014, all American citizens, including young adults, will be required to purchase insurance, with the threat of a fee for those who do not. There are various provisions in the new law, which make it easier to obtain coverage. Unemployed young adults with income up to approximately $15,000/year can look forward to an expansion of Medicaid for their health coverage. Individuals who make less than about $43,000 and who work at a place that does not provide affordable coverage can receive tax credits to help pay for insurance through new Health Insurance Exchanges. These exchanges will give consumers choice among plans and in a standardized format to help them find which is best for their needs. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, prices each year will be capped at $5950 for individuals and $11,900 for families, excluding premiums.

The new law also intends to make obtaining insurance easier for young adults who work for small businesses. Many young adults work for small businesses. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, 36 percent of working uninsured young adults were employed in a small business with fewer than 25 workers. Incrementally over the next four years, small businesses with less than 25 employees will be eligible to receive tax credits to help make health insurance more affordable for their employees. If the small business has fewer than 100 employees, they also will be able to purchase insurance through the new Health Insurance Exchanges.

Preexisting conditions

Starting in September 2010, insurers can no longer deny coverage to children up to 19 with preexisting conditions such as asthma and high blood pressure. However, young adults over the age of 19 will not have this protection until 2014. In the meantime, adults with preexisting conditions who have not had insurance for a six–month period will have the option to either enter a temporary national pool for high-risk individuals or join pools set up by their state. You can find more information about whether your state is covered by this national plan here.

Preventive care

Under the new law, young adults can also take advantage of the many expansions to preventive care.  New health plans must cover certain preventive services without having the consumer share the costs.  Consumers will not need to pay a deductible, co-pay, or coinsurance when receiving preventive care. The preventive services covered include blood tests, many cancer screenings, and counseling for a wide array of issues.

Get off to a healthy start this school year – National Consumers League

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It’s back to school season for much of America. There are many ways – for the health and well-being of the entire family – that parents and their families can start the year off right.

Check-ups, screenings, and immunizations

It’s important that your child have routine exams and screenings to help track their development and identify (and treat) any potential problems. Make sure vision and hearing are among the routine screenings your child receives.

In addition to the routine trip to the primary care office, it is important that your child visit the dentist every six months. Mouth troubles and dental-related conditions account for the #1 reason kids miss school.

Check with your local school and your health care practitioner about vaccine requirements and recommendations, and what is best for your child. If possible, take advantage of being in the doctor’s office and schedule your child’s flu vaccine for October or November.

In order to avoid trips to the doctor throughout the school year, remind your kids to wash their hands. Send them with a bottle of hand sanitizer for those times they can’t suds up in a sink.

Sleep

It is important for children to get several hours of quality sleep. They need the z’s in order to have energy, enthusiasm, and the capacity to learn.

Children ages 6-9 should aim for roughly 10 hours of sleep a night. Their older counterparts, the pre-teens, should get just over 9. All kids are different, however, and you should adjust their sleep schedule to suit them.

Backpacks

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that kids not carry more than 10-20 percent of their body weight in a backpack. You should also double check that the weight in their bags are distributed evenly, and remind them to carry the backpack with both (ideally padded) straps.

Your child’s mental health: stress and anxiety

Anxiety and stress are normal feelings at the start of the school year – for both kid and parent. Remember that it should pass within the first few weeks of school. If children remain anxious, you should talk with your health care practitioner.

Stomp out stress and anxiety by showing enthusiasm for the start of school. Talk with your kids about what happened each day, and get involved in with school activities. In addition to watching your child’s physical development, you should also keep tabs on their social and emotional changes.

More safety tips

Double check with your child’s school to ensure that the emergency contact information, as well as information about medications your child may take (at home or at school), known allergies, and physical limitations are current.

Depending upon how your child will get to school, remind them of safety tips. If they ride the bus, for example, they should know to keep out of the street and to keep a safe distance from the bus at all times; they should also know to wait for the bus driver to signal before crossing the street. If walking or bike riding, they should use a buddy system, wear reflective gear, obey traffic lights and street signs, and always wear a helmet. For those traveling by car, remind children to stay in their safety seats or seat belted at all times.

Encourage your kids to get active after school. Ideally, children and teenagers should get 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.

Remind kids to practice good hygiene. In addition to washing their hands, remind them not to share combs/brushes or beverages.

Back to school a good time to revisit immunizations schedule – National Consumers League

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You may have recently read about the whooping cough epidemic in California, or you might recall the chaos last fall* when folks were scrambling to get their H1N1 vaccine. Immunizations* are one of the most important public health tools available, and they greatly improved our quality of life over the past century.

Today, we often associate vaccinations with infants and children, and possible the elderly. It is important to remember, however, that adults can not only benefit from immunizations, but they can help protect their loved ones by getting boosters or new immunizations. The CDC establishes a recommended schedule of vaccines for both adults*, children*, and teens*. You should talk with your health care practitioner to determine what is appropriate for you and your family.

Recently, the CDC* revised its seasonal flu recommendations to reflect the value of the flu vaccine universally in the population. As summer turns to fall, it is important to remember to schedule a visit to the pharmacy or your family doctor to get your seasonal shot; it is often advised to get your seasonal vaccine in October or November to ensure that it protects you throughout the flu season (usually ending in early spring).

While many may grimace at the thought of a needle, it is important to remember the value of vaccines in preventing discomfort and illness.

 

*Links are no longer active as the original sources have removed the content, sometimes due to federal website changes or restructurings.

Chinese workers facing dire consequences for speaking out – National Consumers League

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By Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director

Chinese bank workers who have been openly protesting the downsizing of jobs in the white-collar banking sector in China deserve great praise for their bravery. Last month the Agricultural Bank of China went public, bringing in $22 billion. A few days after, bank workers, of whom 400,000 have been laid off in the past decade as banks have gone public and shed workers, staged a protest, and some were promptly arrested. What is interesting is this very capitalist act of a bank “going public” in a formerly centrally-run, communist economy is directly connected to the layoffs. The fate of the organizers of these protests is bleak: they are often put in “black jails,” according to the New York Times, where they are sometimes beaten. The unrepentant end up in labor camps, sometimes spending several years there without being charged with a crime.

The dismissals seem to follow a pattern: workers over age 40 are singled out first, offered paltry buyouts, and anyone refusing is let go without compensation. Many of these laid-off bank workers have never found other jobs since and are forced to live off their elderly parents. They share the same fate as millions of Chinese factory workers, who have found no redress in the Chinese courts. No union exists to help them take up their cause. One former banker profiled in the Times collects recyclables to feed her family. She’s recently been arrested for continuing to protest, and her son says he’s not sure when they will see her again, adding “she’s very stubborn.”

The plight of these workers is reminiscent of the struggles of American workers, except that the Chinese don’t even have the semblance of a democratic court system where workers can turn for redress. I admire the courage of these people, who face dire consequences for speaking out and little hope their actions will change the system. Like workers everywhere facing long odds, they deserve our support and admiration.