Occupational Hazards, Stress, Weak Unions
According to a report by the International Labor Organization, the injury and illness rates for the poultry industry are 2-3 more than the manufacturing average. The ILO cites stress, occupational hazards, and disease as the chief causes for physical harm. to break it down:
STRESS: Stress surfaces in the poultry industry from the noise from the beaker machines, the air compressors, and the chillers. All of these machines reach painfully high decibels (around 105 DB), and contribute to uncomfortable working conditions. Due to the increased demand for frozen food, it is necessary for workers to toil in extremely cold conditions - which is both stressful and dangerous. Working long hours in subzero temperatures can lead to both frostbite and respiratory disorders. According to Harper's magazine, workers are also working in sweltering heat, which can lead to toxic conditions as fumes are released from decomposing birds and bird manure. Thus, workers are exposed to any diseases contained in the decomposing foul, as well as ammonia from the feces, which is yet another source of respiratory ailments. Both Harpers and the ILO cite increased line speeds as a major source of stress and injury. It is important to note that with the demand for increased production, the line speeds have increased in tangent. However, not all poultry processing is mechanized - the actual cutting of the meat is done manually. This task poses obvious risks in and of itself - sharp knives, slippery meat, hands tired after many hours of labor - but compounded with an increasing gap between mechanization and manual labor, the risk factor rises. In other words, the people de-boning the meat (or performing other manual tasks) must keep up with the speed of the machines. The USDA limit for line speeds today is 91 birds a minute, as compared with 70 in 1979. The line speed also increases the repetitiveness of work, which can be a source of stress for some workers. Stressful jobs are often hazardous jobs - as repetitive motions lead to carelessness and boredom, which in turn can lead to injury.
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS AND INJURIES: A survey done of 51 poultry plants by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration highlighted some of the most common injuries to occur at poultry plants. These included:
A manager at the Foster Farms plant in Kelso Washington cited carpal tunnel syndrome (from performing repetitive motions) as the primary work related injury they encounter - Foster Farms was trying to retaliate against CPS by rotating workers every few hours. Foster Farms also reported cleaning the floors every two hours to decrease the likelihood of someone slipping and falling on their continually wet and greasy surfaces. According to both Harper's and the National Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, the "catchers" in particular are placed at risk, as they must round up frightened and sharp beaked birds to send off to the processing plant. Other occupational hazards include the incorrect handling of the stun gun during slaughter, the de-boning operation performed with sharp knives that dull quickly and are prone to slipping on slimy meat, and maneuvering heavy objects. Diseased birds also place workers at risk for catching illnesses, from handling uncooked meat and breathing toxic fumes.
ECONOMICS AND UNIONIZATION: Moving from the physical to the economic, poultry workers are notoriously underpaid and somewhat shafted when it comes to basic rights. The Department of Labor's 1997 report on poultry industry compliance found that 60% of the plants surveyed were in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act overtime guidelines. Other violations cited were that 51% of the plants failed to pay workers for set up and clean up type tasks, and that 54% charged workers for clothing and protective gear that the companies are required to proved free of charge. To further worsen the situation, according the Lexington Herald-Leader, only a third of the poultry plants in the country are unionized. Unionization would help aid the workers to gain their rights through solidarity and bargaining power. Stronger unionization would also provide workers with education about what rights they posses - then help to organize them against the a dominating industry.
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