Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
dreds of chickens a night . . . These uncomfortable conditions,
coupled with the unrelenting pressure to keep the shackles filled
at all costs, lead to much frustration and outright rage among the
employees.”
Many factory farm and slaughterhouse workers are immigrants.
For example, in Arkansas, one of the nation's leading broiler (meat-
type) chicken producers, the immigrant population almost tripled
during the 1990s from 25,000 to 74,000. Most of these individuals
labor in the state's meat and poultry processing plants.
Compared to workers born in the United States, immigrant work-
ers are more likely to have difficulties with the English language
and lack an awareness of applicable laws. This can prevent them
from knowing about their rights or the hazards of the work they are
undertaking.
Many of these workers are also undocumented. Reasonably
fearing the consequences should authorities become aware of
their immigration status, these workers are less likely to organize
to improve conditions or even seek protection for their rights.
A 2002 decision by the Supreme Court made matters even worse
for undocumented workers. As a result of the Court's decision,
employers who illegally fire undocumented workers for union or-
ganizing activities that are protected under the National Labor Re-
lations Act are not required to pay them back wages.
The employment of undocumented workers can also create
problems for their U.S.-born colleagues. An employee of a Pil-
grim's Pride poultry processing plant in Alabama has filed a class
action suit against the company alleging that the plant's manage-
ment hired undocumented workers with the intention of reducing
wages for all the plant's employees.
In addition to the consequences for undocumented workers
outlined above, other slaughterhouse workers have also been un-
justly denied the opportunity to seek better working conditions or
