Another Report Hits Out at Poultry Plant Worker Conditions in US
US - A workers' organisation has again attacked the conditions for workers in American poultry processing plants, releasing the results from a number of interviews of plant employees.
3 May 2016
2 minute read
By: The organisation, Greater Minnesota Worker Center, released the report to mark 'Workers' Memorial Day'.
The report, entitled 'Striving for a Just and Safer Workplace', is based on interviews of 38 employees at poultry processing plants, and claims they report "significant injuries, unfair treatment, and religious discrimination".
It claimed workers were denied breaks to go to the bathroom, were discouraged from seeking medical help, and were endangered by fast production line speeds.
Safety at poultry plants has been heavily criticised in the past year by a number of different groups, notably Oxfam America in October 2015. Many similar claims were made in these earlier reports.
However, poultry industry bodies have repeatedly said that safety figures have improved over recent years. Most recently, in response to proposed additional inspections by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Chicken Council said worker injury and illness rates have declined 81 per cent in the last in the last 20 years, and continues to decline.
