Canneries
A cannery job was seasonal and depended on the season. As a result, employers of cannery workers argued that it was agricultural, rather than industrial, and should not be affected by child labor laws. The canneries were often entire families working together. They lived on the land they worked on, housed by their employer in lowly conditions. A cannery's job began early, around 3 a.m. They were paid based on how much work they did. Actually, children and adults were paid at the same rate, but kids often times received much less money because they could not do as much work.
Seafood Cannery
In a seafood cannery, an adult could shell nearly triples the amount of a child. These shells were thrown on the ground, at their feet. This meant it would hurt the children's feet and tear through their thin rubber shoes, which they could not afford to replace. In addition, the sharp shells of the oysters cut their young fingers. Shrimp were far worse! They were extremely odorous! In fact, the odor was so bad it ate into the worker's leather and the cans they were packed in. They even had to soak their hands in alum to protect their skin. Moreover, the shrimp were packed in ice which made them painful to handle after a while.
Vegetable/Fruit Canneries
These canneries often worked longer hours. They had to work quickly because otherwise the fruit would wilt. Children hauled boxes of fruit/vegetables across long pathways to weighing stations. The heavy lifting sometimes resulted in back problems. They were especially likely to hurt themselves at the end of their shifts because they were exhausted.
Seafood Cannery
In a seafood cannery, an adult could shell nearly triples the amount of a child. These shells were thrown on the ground, at their feet. This meant it would hurt the children's feet and tear through their thin rubber shoes, which they could not afford to replace. In addition, the sharp shells of the oysters cut their young fingers. Shrimp were far worse! They were extremely odorous! In fact, the odor was so bad it ate into the worker's leather and the cans they were packed in. They even had to soak their hands in alum to protect their skin. Moreover, the shrimp were packed in ice which made them painful to handle after a while.
Vegetable/Fruit Canneries
These canneries often worked longer hours. They had to work quickly because otherwise the fruit would wilt. Children hauled boxes of fruit/vegetables across long pathways to weighing stations. The heavy lifting sometimes resulted in back problems. They were especially likely to hurt themselves at the end of their shifts because they were exhausted.