The Labor Department in the United States is conducting an investigation into Perdue Farms and Tyson Foods, two major poultry producers, following reports that migrant children as young as 13 have been employed to work overnight shifts cleaning the companies’ plants. The Wage and Hour Division of the Labor Department is looking into the matter, although further details have not been provided.
The investigation comes in the wake of a shocking account published in The New York Times Magazine that described the experience of a 14-year-old boy named Marcos Cux. Cux had his arm severely injured while working at a Perdue slaughterhouse on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The article reveals that Cux and other children of middle and high school age made up a significant portion of the overnight cleaning shifts at the plant, carrying out tasks involving acids and pressure hoses to clean the industrial machines.
Federal law strictly prohibits individuals under the age of 18 from performing such tasks due to the inherent risks involved. Although Cux admitted to lying about his age to obtain the job, it was reportedly an open secret among the workers at the facility. Similar practices were also found to be occurring at a nearby Tyson-run plant.
Perdue Farms spokesperson Andrea Staub acknowledged the federal investigation and stated that the company will cooperate fully. Perdue has emphasized its commitment to the safety and legal employment of all individuals working in their facilities, with strict policies in place to prevent minors from undertaking hazardous jobs in violation of the law. The company is also conducting a third-party audit of child labor prevention and protection procedures, including those of its contractors.
Tyson Foods, on the other hand, has stated that it is currently unaware of any investigation and therefore declined to comment.
This federal inquiry follows the Biden administration’s promise to take action against illegal child labor in the country. In February, the Labor Department imposed a $1.5 million fine on Packers Sanitation Services Inc., a major cleaning services provider for meat plants, for employing minors. However, food corporations, including Tyson, that had benefited from underage labor were not pursued at the time.
Child labor violations have seen a significant increase since 2015, according to data from the Labor Department, resulting in more injuries and fatalities in the workplace. Recent incidents include the death of 16-year-old Duvan Robert Tomas Perez, who became entangled in a machine while cleaning at a Mar-Jac poultry plant in Mississippi, as well as the death of 16-year-old Gustavo Ramirez, who fell 160 feet while working on a hotel roof in Tennessee.
Sources:
- The New York Times Magazine
- NPR