Movie theaters fined for child labor violations

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

Tuesday, March 01, 2011, 5:08 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Labor Department has fined three movie theater companies a total of $277,000 for allowing workers under 16 to perform dangerous jobs and work long hours in violation of child labor laws.

The theaters have paid the fines and agreed to set up compliance programs.

Knoxville, Tenn.-based Regal Cinemas Inc. received the largest fine of $158,000 for employing minors to load and operate trash compactors.

Milwaukee-based Marcus Theatres Corp. was fined $94,000 similar violations. The Labor Department says the company also let minors work beyond the hours permitted under federal law.

Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/movie_theaters_fined_for_child.html

[fittosurvive]

1. Dangerous...? In a movie theater...?

Must be one hell of a popcorn popper.

[hedgehog]

4. The minors were operating trash compactors.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

7. Yeah, those who complain against child labor are all sissies.

:eyes:

[fittosurvive]

8. I used to mow lawns, deliver newspapers and stock shelves, but I never realized that

I was breaking the law.

[smiley_glad_hands]

10. That would not be considered operating heavy equipment, nice try though. eom

[smiley_glad_hands]

9. It is against the law for minors to operate heavy equipment, including trash compactors.

Perfect example, here in Va, last year a teenager working for his uncle and guardian, was killed operating a wood chipper.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

19. Actually, the diacetyl could be an issue.

WORKER ALERT: Diacetyl and Substitutes

Diacetyl is a chemical used to add flavor and aroma to food and other products. Workers who breathe diacetyl on the job have become disabled or have died from severe lung disease. Some diacetyl substitutes may also cause harm.*
....

Industries and Jobs Using Diacetyl and Substitutes
- Flavor manufacturing plants.
- Plants where flavors containing diacetyl or substitutes are used, such as some makers of snack foods, baked goods, and candy.
- Jobs at or near mixing, weighing, pouring, transferring, or other handling of diacetyl or flavorings containing diacetyl, especially if heated.
- Cleaning and maintenance operations.
- Quality assurance and laboratory jobs.

For more information, go to the DOL website and enter "diacetyl" in the search box.

[Drale]

2. Damn it from the title I thought Marcus Cinemas was finally gonna pay

I worked there for 6 weeks in high school and they treat their workers like slaves. They also pay workers under the age of 18 less than minimum wage, which I know is not illegal but its bad business.

[DenverDad]

3. When I worked at AMC theatres (1983)

the student minimum wage(I was told) was $2.85 an hour. When I turned 18, they had to bump it up to $3.35.

[rainbow4321]

15. Cinemark pays it's workers well

At least for around this part of the country. My daughter started there when she was 15 and was paid $7/hour. She's been there 5 years now and is making a little over $10/hr as an asst. manager. I'll have to ask her if they use a trash compactor. Most of their employees are in high school. When they graduate, they can apply to be asst. managers.

[DenverDad]

16. Righteous bucks!

I remember the trash compactor very well.

[Romulox]

5. But children working (and dying) in the fields? Will they do anything? nt

[pam4water]

6. That was highly un-enlightening. What jobs?

[Mybrokenchains]

11. trash compactors aren't dangerous by themselves...

You have to do something stupid for them to be dangerous, like....get in it and turn it on......

The real crime here...........is $8 popcorn?!?!

[TheMadMonk]

14. And generally an ADULT idiot or two a year manage to kill/mutilate...

...themselves trying to kick or stamp a jam free with the machine still operating.

Rinse, repeat with plenty of other static heavy machinery. Put wheels under it and the numbers skyrocket.

As for the "real crime". Why is it that people complain about movie theatre snack prices, but not the prices of cocktails or a baseball park hotdog.

Where I come from, event/venue catering tends to run by a third parties who pay an exhorbitant rent/fee for the privilege of selling to a captive market.

I don't LIKE the prices, but I do understand them. My solution: voluminous pockets.

[neverforget]

12. There's a Republican state senator in Missouri that is totally cool with this

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/mo-state-sen-jane-cunninghams-bizarre-b

:crazy:

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

13. who cares what they were operating.....

the words to pay attention to

"under 16, working long hours"

in a nation where adults can't find work.

[fasttense]

17. It's the law.

But of course if you are rich and an employer, the laws do not apply to you. Well, in this case it did, for a change.

Why is it A OK for this corporation to break the law, just because the kids in this case were 15? So if they were 10 years old would it be OK? How about 8? Will 5 years old be offensive? Where do you draw the line?

Child labor laws are there for a reason. You may think you and your family were fine when you worked long hours for less then minimum wage around slicing equipment at the age of 15. But I know many a 15 year old who would not do well under those conditions. They just have not matured enough. They would think nothing of slamming their foot into a stuck trash compactor that is still running. They just wouldn't think through safety and other considerations. There are 13 year olds that are more mature than some 18 year olds I know. But you have to draw the line somewhere and I think 15 is a very good place to start.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

18. From the Department of Labor:

US Labor Department fines Marcus Theatres, Regal Cinemas and Wehrenberg movie theatre chains more than $277,000 for child labor violations

Wage and Hour Division investigators determined that Knoxville, Tenn.-based Regal Cinemas Inc., which operates Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theatres and United Artist Theatres, violated child labor laws by employing minors to load and operate trash compactors. Regal Cinemas has paid $158,400 in civil money penalties.

Investigators determined that Milwaukee, Wis.-based Marcus Theatres Corp. violated child labor laws by employing minors to load and operate trash compactors, operate motor vehicles and operate a dough mixer. The company also employed minors under the age of 16 to perform baking and allowed them to work beyond hours permitted under the FLSA. Marcus Theatres has paid $93,995 in civil money penalties.

Investigators also determined that St. Louis, Mo.-based Wehrenberg Inc. allowed minors to load and operate trash compactors, and to operate motor vehicles. The company has paid $25,080 in penalties.....

For more information about youth employment regulations and other federal wage laws, call the Wage and Hour Division's Chicago District Office at 312-596-7230 or the division's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243). Information is also available on the Internet at DOL's Wage and Hour Division.

Youth Rules!

[bikebloke]

20. My first part-time job.

When I worked at a movie theatre (for an wealth accumulating $1.65 an hour), we never did the trash. They had cleaners we never saw to do that. I suppose we could have been burned by the butter melting machine (real butter before they when to some gooey chemi shite). Of course, it's easy to throw out a shoulder ripping tickets in half.