Second-level students were being exploited by employers and were losing out on social life and education, the ASTI convention was told.
Ms Susie Hall (Dublin North East) said that with so much evidence of a wonderful economy why was such a large proportion of this prosperity produced by the abuse of children? Solving problems caused by the boom on the backs of the sweated labour of children was totally unacceptable, she said.
Mr Mick Evans, Cork central executive committee, said he knew of at least one boy who worked a 40-hour week between Thursday and Sunday. This student spent his time in school recovering.
Students like him would probably leave with a few Leaving Cert C and D grades, but they could achieve more. But the increase in family breakdown and one-parent families meant many families could not manage without the financial support of their school-going children, he said.
Mr Francis Rocks (Dundalk, Co Louth) central executive, said students were being coerced into working out of hours.