Inquiry Finds Under-Age Workers at Meat Plant

If you ever wondered what it would be like without those pesky labor laws, especially those involving children, just take a look at the nation’s largest kosher meat plant in Iowa Agirprocessors. Remember, this is happening in violation of current child labor laws, and might be seen as a way of measuring the callous direction corporate power is taking us. Perhaps soon, like in China, we’ll have corporate dormitories filled with older siblings supporting their families back home.

AP reported:

State labor investigators have identified 57 under-age workers who were employed at a kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, and have asked the attorney general to bring criminal charges against the company for child labor violations. “The investigation brings to light egregious violations of virtually every aspect of Iowa’s child labor laws,” where some were as young as 13.

They included employing minors in prohibited occupations, exposing them to hazardous chemicals, and making them work with prohibited tools like knives and saws. In interviews, they said they were forced to work long hours on night shifts,
sometimes up to 17 hours a day, and were not paid all of their overtime. They said they were put to work on racing production lines using knives to cut meat and poultry with little or no safety training. In a raid in May, 389 illegal immigrant workers were detained there in the largest immigration enforcement operation ever at a single workplace. In a statement, Agriprocessors said it was “at a loss to understand” the investigation results. The state labor department said the number of under-age workers was by far the largest in an Iowa child labor case. If convicted on criminal charges, the company could face
fines of $500,000 to $1 million.

Appalling? The Ayn Rand crowd, conservative think tanks and Republican leaders have been advocating lifting regulations on business for years, including doing away with minimum wages and restrictive work place safety laws. In fact the labor department is attempting to lift restrictions on dangerous chemicals and notification of their hazardous presence.

I bet you’ve never been so proud of your country?