Moldy Peaches

What is the best way to deal with a looming labour shortage? Loosen the mandatory retirement age? That idea seems reasonable since people are living longer and healthier plus the original cutoff was established when life expectancy was in the early 70s. Or, should you follow the lead of Mugatu and let the kiddies work? This idea is now being pursued in Alberta.

Now, before one examines the details of the labour changes, it is important to recognize one fundamental point - this isn't child labour. Let's be clear, there is a difference between child work and child labour.

Children’s participation in the labour market - that does not negatively affect their health and development or interfere with education, can be positive. Work that does not interfere with education (light work) is permitted from the age of 12 years under the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 138.

Meanwhile, child labour is more narrowly defined and refers to children working in contravention of the above standards. This means all children below 12 years of age working in any economic activities, those aged 12 to 14 years engaged in harmful work.

The decision in Alberta allows restaurants to hire children as young as 12 as waitresses, dishwashers and other staff, after the province loosened its child-labour rules. Under the revised rule put in place June 3, employers in the restaurant and food services industry no longer need to get a government permit to hire employees who are aged 12 to 14.

Both business and labour make good points on the recent announcement. Some employers treat all employees fantastic, regardless of age, and as result this could strengthen their workforce. However, organized labour is concerned that children this age do not know or understand their rights and thus may get taken advantage of. This is likely to occur, since it occurs now at shitty work environments such as Pizza Hut and Kentucky Fried Chicken.



This decision is a slippery slope and should be monitored. Alberta already has two-tiered minimum wage, which is appalling, and could result in more *older* workers being pushed out of jobs. As Megan Smith, the shift manager at Earls, said employees like Alessio are valuable. "I think a lot of time, if kids are willing to be getting a job at that age, they are a lot keener, have a lot more energy and they [often] work harder than ... people who are a lot older."

Watch your back, the kids are coming.