bathroom breaks

Popeyes, KFC’s supplier has sanitation problem, Senator takes notice of unsafe conditions

cmonforton — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 15:10:29 +0000

Popeyes, KFC’s supplier has sanitation problem, Senator takes notice of unsafe conditions

Drivers honked and waved. They gave thumbs up to the 30 people on the sidewalk. The group was holding signs outside a North Carolina poultry plant. “El baño” – the bathroom – was the word catching the drivers’ attention.

The scene on August 14 was a demonstration in front of the Case Farms poultry plant in Morganton, NC. The company supplies chicken to KFC, Popeyes, and Taco Bell.

Alisa Olvera outside of Case Farms poultry plant in Morganton, NC.

The reason for the peaceful protest?

The Case Farms plant has a sanitation problem. Workers don’t have access to the bathroom when they need to use it. Are KFC, Popeyes and other firms that buy chicken from Case Farms ----hundreds of millions of pounds each year--- ignoring the problem?

If they aren’t touched by the indignity of restricting bathroom breaks at Case Farms, surely they care about the sanitation problem.

The protesters went to the poultry plant to deliver a letter to the plant manager. The group included former Case Farms workers. The manager wouldn’t accept it personally. The delegation left it with the security guard. The letter said:

“The Western North Carolina Worker Center (WNCWC) is representing a group of Case Farms workers who have identified the lack of access to bathroom breaks as the top workplace issue for your workers.”

The letter continued:

“We are asking for your presence at a meeting …to discuss this important issue and to see what we can do to work together to find a solution to this issue.”

They proposed a meeting in mid-September at the St. Charles Catholic Church in Morganton, NC. Case Farms has yet to respond to the request.

Irma Matul worked for six years at the Case Farms plant in Morganton, NC. She was at the demonstration and spoke to the local reporters who were covering the event. [Translated from Spanish] Matul said:

“They won’t let you go to the bathroom if you ask to go to the bathroom. Sometimes they even shame the workers that need to go to the bathroom. It is very sad because they don’t give access to go to the bathrooms when workers have the biological need to go to the bathroom.”

Case Farms issued a statement saying they "respectfully disagree with the allegations." The company added

“We believe if we treat our employees with respect and dignity, and listen and address their concerns and issues, we will continue to be successful.”

Hunter Ogletree with WNCWC agreed with that statement.

“The poultry workers we know are hard-working, dedicated, and thoughtful. …They know it takes a team, and they’re eager to be part of that team, and build on success.

However – in order to start a dialogue, Case Farms needs to respond to our invitation to engage. Which they have refused to do.”

On the day of the demonstration, the Case Farms’ workers learned that a U.S. Senator has his own concerns about the poultry company’s operations. Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown wrote a pointed letter to Case Farms’ CEO Thomas Shelton about poor working conditions in the company’s plants, including dozens of willful and repeat OSHA violations. Case Farms also operates two poultry processing plants in Brown’s home state.

The Senator referred to an investigation by reporter Michael Grabell which was published at ProPublica and The New Yorker. Grabell describes a company history of hiring refugees because they are least likely to complain, delaying appropriate medical care for injured workers, and interference in workers' efforts to organize a union.

The company says "worker safety is an integral component of its culture," but Senator Brown challenged that assertion. He wrote:

"This statement does not appear to square with this recent report and the company's history of serious OSHA violations."

I’ll be eager to learn if Case Farms’ CEO responds to Senator Brown’s letter. The Western North Carolina Worker Center and its allies should make sure that YUM Brand’s CEO Greg Creed (KFC and Taco Bell) and Restaurant Brands International’s CEO Daniel Schwartz (Popeyes) get a copy of the Senator’s letter and Michael Grabell’s article in The New Yorker.

cmonforton Wed, 08/30/2017 - 11:10

Tags

labor rights

low-wage work

Occupational Health & Safety

poultry plants

Western NC Worker Center

Two reports profile low-wages, grim conditions for workers in the food industry

cmonforton — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:53:56 +0000

Two reports profile low-wages, grim conditions for workers in the food industry

Two new reports describe the working conditions for some of the 21 million workers in the U.S. food industry. Food workers constitute 14 percent of the U.S. workforce. They are employed across the system from those who work on farms and in canning plants, to meat packers, grocery store clerks and restaurant dishwashers.

No Piece of the Pie: U.S. Food Workers in 2016 was released this week by the Food Chain Workers Alliance. The report examines employment trends, wages, advancement opportunities, discrimination, and work-related injuries. The authors use government and industry data, but enhance the report with findings based on worker interviews. The report paints a grim picture of employment at all points along the food chain:

“Enrique and his family work at a dairy farm and wake up in the middle of the night and work for five to six hours, take a short break, and then go back to work for another five hours. He told us that exhaustion and long-term sleep deprivation are ‘the ugliest experiences [he has] endured in the milk industry.’”

And,

“Catalina, a farmworker, recalled conditions at a tomato farm. ‘The way they treated you, it was as if you were an animal. They didn’t treat you like a human being... We lived in trailers, like 20 or 30 people in a trailer. They punished us if we missed any work, treated us like we were slaves.’”

And more:

“Sara, who worked at a catfish processing plant in Mississippi for many years, mentioned that when there were not any more fish to clean for a period of time, the company would require them to clock out and wait around for up to two hours, without pay, for another shipment to come in.”

And this:

"I’ve had a lot of sexual harassment issues with work... This older guy, he came to the restaurant
all the time. He always would say things... I poured him his coffee. He was like, ‘Hey, little Black
girl, you got enough milk in those jugs for my coffee?’ I was like, ‘What!?’ And I looked straight
to my boss, so [my boss] is like, ‘Oh, don’t worry about it, you know he’s a regular.’"

No Piece of the Pie notes that the annual median wage for food chain workers is $16,000 and the hourly median wage is $10. In addition, 13 percent of food workers (nearly 2.8 million workers) relied in 2016 on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (food stamps) to feed their families.

No Piece of the Pie makes nine recommendations to consumers and policy makers to improve the situation for workers in the food industry. The Food Chain Alliance is a coalition of worker-based organizations whose members plant, harvest, process, pack, transport, prepare, serve, and sell food. The coalition is engaged in efforts to improve wages and working conditions for all workers along the food chain.

Last month, the global anti-poverty group Oxfam released another report as part of its campaign: The Human Cost of Cheap Chicken. Its latest is a review of gender issues in the U.S. poultry industry. As described by women who work in the U.S. poultry industry, Women on the Line focuses on issues that adversely affect their health.

Most poultry processing workers are at significant risk of musculoskeletal injuries because of repetitive and fast-paced design of cutting, deboning, and trimming chicken parts. Women often represent a larger share of the poultry processing jobs in a plant, yet the production lines are not designed to accommodate a woman's body. The report says:

"Most production lines are one-size-fits-all, and that size is usually the average male. The height of lines, work surfaces, and tools are oriented to accommodate larger people. Many women struggle to reach further and higher, and end up in awkward positions."

The tools used to break-down chicken into wings, thighs, drumsticks, breasts and tenders, are not necessarily designed with a woman's grip and hand strength in mind. "On average, women need to work harder to accomplish the same strength-based tasks as men," the report notes.

The topic of bathroom breaks was examined in Oxfam's May 2016 report "No Relief: Denial of Bathroom Breaks in the U.S. Poultry Industry." It is a dominant subject as well in Women on the Live.

"Throughout almost every interview, survey, or workshop that has profiled poultry workers, limited and restricted bathroom breaks are a clear issue. Supervisors often deny breaks; they are under pressure to meet daily quotas, and the poultry plants regularly do not hire enough “floaters” who could be called on to stand in for workers for a few minutes so they can use the bathroom."

Whether a man or a woman, not all bladders are created equal. Moreover, when women are menstruating or are pregnant, being able to use a bathroom on their schedule (not the boss') is particularly important.

The new Oxfam report and the one released this week by the Food Chain Alliance are particularly timely. One week from today will be Thanksgiving, the U.S.'s biggest holiday involving food. These reports remind me of the millions of skilled hands that belong to the low-wage laborers who grow, deliver, and prepare my food. It's a nice gesture for us to give them thanks. But what they deserve are consumers demanding that food companies give them a raise and respect.

cmonforton Thu, 11/17/2016 - 12:53

Tags

musculoskeletal disorders

I wish there were chicken processing plants that treated their employees well (or, you now, not badly) so I could choose to buy from that place. I can choose cage-free, vegetarian eggs, I can choose antibiotic-free meat, but I've never seen "humane worker treatment" as a sticker at the grocery store.

I would pay a lot more for that. As it is I just buy less, which I know doesn't help the workers any.

"Holding it": Tyson, Perdue workers denied bathroom breaks

cmonforton — Wed, 11 May 2016 08:23:45 +0000

"Holding it": Tyson, Perdue workers denied bathroom breaks

It wasn’t too long ago that OSHA issued a citation to Allen Harim Foods, a poultry producer in Delaware, for failing to give their workers access to the bathroom.

“Employees were not granted permission to use them [toilets] and/or were not replaced at their lines, waiting up to 40 minutes to use lavatories.”

Today, Oxfam America issued a report which suggests that “holding it” is a situation faced by workers throughout the poultry industry. It’s not just a problem for workers at lesser known companies like, Allen Harim. Workers employed by Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, Perdue, Sanderson Farms, Case Farms, and Simmons recounted strikingly similar experiences.

The testimony provided by these firms' employees were analyzed by Oxfam to prepare its report. "No relief: Denial of bathroom breaks in the poultry industry is disturbing to read.

Oxfam quotes from a woman who works at a Perdue plant in Delaware:

“If you ask to go the bathroom, they ask you so many questions.”

Someone who worked at a Sanderson plant in Mississippi recounted:

"Women have to tell male supervisors why they have to go to the bathroom and only have a few minutes to go and return."

Being asked “why do you need to go to the bathroom?” or “how long will you be in the restroom?” are questions I probably haven’t been asked since I was in the third grade. But it gets worse.

Not only do these workers have to explain why they need to use the lavatory (as if it isn't obvious), many describe having to wait longer than they can comfortably hold it. Oxfam heard workers explain the need to wear diapers or (ineffective) sanitary pads because they don't have free access to the bathroom. A worker at a Case Farms plant in North Carolina told Oxfam staff:

"I’m eight months pregnant, and they’re still treating me the same. ...I try not to drink too much water, so I don’t have to go. When I ask permission, I have to wait 15 minutes, half an hour, sometimes more…"

The report also describes "accidents" -- cases in which workers held it as long as possible but ended up urinating or defecating on themselves. There's this recollection from Robert, who works at a Simmons plant in Arkansas:

"'I've seen people pee on the line --and sometimes when they're running to get to the bathroom, women pee on themselves.' He once saw a man running toward the bathroom who both peed and defecated on himself. 'I don't know any more about it than the shame of that man who went to the bathroom like that...He told his supervisor and they sent him home.'"

Imagine if the same kind of bathroom restrictions were in place at your local grocery store or restaurant. Customers witnessing employees soiling themselves while stocking shelves or working at the check-out counter. Bye, bye customers. Should we feel any different about it because it is happening behind a factory's walls?

The country’s largest poultry producer, Tyson Foods, told Oxfam:

"We care about our Team Members, so we find these claims troubling. However, since Oxfam America has declined to share the real names and locations of those making the allegations, it's difficult for us to address them or gauge their validity. ...Restroom breaks are not restricted to scheduled work breaks and can be taken at any time. Our production supervisors are instructed to allow Team Members to leave the production line if they need to use the restroom. Not permitting them to do so is simply not tolerated."

There's obviously a disconnect between the company's official policy and what happens on the plant floor. Jean, from a Tyson plant in Virginia, told Oxfam:

"You go to the bathroom one minute late, they have you disciplined. The supervisor will have you sign a discipline paper. They have taken me [to the office] several times. If I'm late one minute."

If Tyson is serious about not tolerating barriers to bathroom access, top officials need to get to the bottom of what's going on in their plants. We all know there's often a difference between what's written in any policy and how it plays out in practice. For any company, it's never enough to say we have a policy. You need an assessment of whether it is achieving what is intended.

Separate from Oxfam's report is another one that also describes restrictive bathroom policies at poultry plants. The Greater Minnesota Worker Center surveyed 38 workers employed at Gold 'n Plump's Cold Spring Plant and Jennie-O's Melrose facility. In "Striving for a just and safer workplace: Central Minnesota's poultry industry and its disposable workers," 86 percent of workers interviewed said they get less than two bathroom breaks per week. Repeat: Less than two bathroom breaks per week. One worker reported:

“I have been asked to sign a warning letter 9 times in 2 years just for asking to use the bathroom."

I'm hopeful that Oxfam's report "No relief" gets the attention of top officials at Tyson Foods and other poultry and meatpacking companies. I hope the conversations include the recognition that bladders are not created equal. Whomever is barring access to bathrooms need to accept this fact. Some people may only need to use the restroom once during their entire shift. They may easily be able to do so during their lunch break. Most others, however, need multiple bathroom breaks throughout the day. That's just a reality. Corporate officials must tell supervisors to accept that fact and plan accordingly for every shift. Supervisors need to tell their chain of command about the reasons or obstacles that compel them to restrict bathroom breaks.

If Tyson and the others can't ensure their employees have access to the bathroom, should we have any confidence that these firms are following their own policies for controlling e.coli, salmonella, and other pathogens? I don't.

cmonforton Wed, 05/11/2016 - 04:23

Tags

Crippled hands, strained bladders: OSHA cites Delaware poultry company

cmonforton — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 14:27:30 +0000

Crippled hands, strained bladders: OSHA cites Delaware poultry company

Will calls for humanely-treated poultry workers supersede commentaries (e.g., here, here) about mistreatment of chickens?

OSHA’s action last week may help us move in that direction. The agency issued penalties to a Delaware poultry processing facility for serious safety hazards. Allen Harim Foods received citations for two harmful working conditions that I've heard poultry workers complain about most strongly: The fast-paced repetitive motion of cutting chicken parts which cripples their hands, and restrictions on using the bathroom which strains (and worse) their bladders.

The musculoskeletal hazards identified by OSHA involve manual tasks that require

“excessive force and exertion, repetitive motions, and awkward postures resulting in ergonomic stressors.”

These are the kinds of physical stressors that lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and the like. The job titles of the affected workers (e.g., wing cutter, breast puller, breast trimmer, tender scorer, tender clipper) help me visualize how they could be at risk of these injuries if their workstations are poorly designed or they are forced to use improper equipment.

Allen Harim was also cited for failing to make lavatories available to employees when they needed to use them.

“Employees were not granted permission to use them [toilets] and/or were not replaced at their lines, waiting up to 40 minutes to use lavatories.”

OSHA requires employers to make bathrooms available so that workers can use them when they need to.

Advocates for poultry processing workers welcomed OSHA’s action against the Delaware firm. Rey Hernandez of the Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center told me:

“We are pleased to see OSHA taking a serious look at the results which repetitive motions on the poultry line can have on worker health.”

There are a dozen poultry processing plants in northwest Arkansas. Hernandez added:

“It was particularly important for us to see them acknowledge that some workers in the poultry industry do not get adequate access to lavatories. We see this issue as indicative of the lack of respect and concern for the human dignity of workers, where production is valued over people.”

OSHA’s inspection was the result of complaints filed by workers at the plant who are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers. OSHA used its “general duty clause” to cite the company for the ergonomic hazards. It’s the second time in six months that the agency did so against a poultry processing company. In December, OSHA cited Wayne Farms in Jack, Alabama under its general duty clause to protect workers from heavy-lifting hazards which also cause musculoskeletal injuries. Prior to those citations, it had been more than 10 years since OSHA issued citations against a poultry company for ergonomic hazards.

Allen Harim sells their products under their own name as well as Nature's Sensation and Al Mazra' ah Halal Chicken. The company promises their chickens are humanely treated:

“Every Allen Harim employee and grower signs a humane treatment pledge that specifies:

Humane handling of live poultry at every step of the process
Training of all employees and contract growers
Facility management that maintains bird comfort
Facilities with live birds have emergency plans in place"

With the chicken well cared for---and now this wake-up call from OSHA---let's see if Allen Harim will turn its attention to its workforce. How about a pledge to eliminate crippled hands and strained bladders?

[Read a companion blog post by Matt Shudtz with the Center for Progressive Reform.]

cmonforton Mon, 06/22/2015 - 10:27

Tags

food

government

labor rights

Occupational Health & Safety