“The workplace was the primary arena in which Solidarity was forged. It was a bunch of guys in bloody aprons that got us these things, not some pretty smelling, sweet-talking lawyer in a hundred dollar suit.” This quote describes a trivial bit of insight into the foundations of a meat packing and poultry workers’ union. These “bloody aproned” workers had to come together to work to improve their current conditions. To put it plainly, these “conditions” were purely unacceptable and inhumane. Meat and poultry processing and packaging is the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals (i.e. pigs, sheep, cattle, chickens, turkey, and other miscellaneous livestock). This industry really brought up pace with railroad construction
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Whole spoiled hams were cut up and thrown in amongst a half ton of fresh ground beef. While rejected, white and molding European sausage was shipped to America where it was treated with borax and glycerine, made over again, then sold for home consumption. “Smoked” sausage was regular meat treated with borax(to preserve it) and gelatine to color it brown, then sold as more expensive because it was “specialty.” These were the kinds of things happening in meat plants with naught but a word said. Meat was stored in large piles on the floor which were walked, spat, and leaked on by roof water. Not to mention, the rats; rats by the hundreds ran all over meat. Workers poisoned the rats with bread, which was later shovelled- meat, dead rats, poisoned bread, and all- into a hopper to be processed and packaged. With no place to wash their hands, employees washed it in the water which was later to be put in sausage. By far the most repugnant thing that occurred was most likely the cleaning of the waste barrels, which contained months, possibly even a year’s, old rejected meat, rust, dirt, old nails, and stale water. All the contents of waste barrels were dumped into hoppers along with the fresh meat to be prepared and distributed. Not only was sanitation abominable, working conditions were inhumane. Employees were actively exposed to …show more content…
Laborers are twice as likely to experience injury and illness and eight times more likely to not report it. The poultry business has the fifth highest rate in worker illness. This should come as no surprise because the employees are put in such an unsafe environment- dangerous machinery, cumulative trauma disorders, exposure to lethal chemicals and most recently there has been an increase in musculoskeletal hazards. Under most circumstances, workers risk losing their job should they report an incident or become injured. Since many do not know their rights, they are more often than not abused “which [augments] a host of other problems, including fear of reporting [incidents,] fear of retaliation, sexual harassment, [and] even lack of bathroom breaks.” (Omaid Zabih, MintPress News Testimonial) While unions are becoming increasingly important a mere 30% of workers have joined. Many laborers are bargaining for UFCW Local Unions to get better jobs, respect, safer working conditions and affordable
Whole spoiled hams were cut up and thrown in amongst a half ton of fresh ground beef. While rejected, white and molding European sausage was shipped to America where it was treated with borax and glycerine, made over again, then sold for home consumption. “Smoked” sausage was regular meat treated with borax(to preserve it) and gelatine to color it brown, then sold as more expensive because it was “specialty.” These were the kinds of things happening in meat plants with naught but a word said. Meat was stored in large piles on the floor which were walked, spat, and leaked on by roof water. Not to mention, the rats; rats by the hundreds ran all over meat. Workers poisoned the rats with bread, which was later shovelled- meat, dead rats, poisoned bread, and all- into a hopper to be processed and packaged. With no place to wash their hands, employees washed it in the water which was later to be put in sausage. By far the most repugnant thing that occurred was most likely the cleaning of the waste barrels, which contained months, possibly even a year’s, old rejected meat, rust, dirt, old nails, and stale water. All the contents of waste barrels were dumped into hoppers along with the fresh meat to be prepared and distributed. Not only was sanitation abominable, working conditions were inhumane. Employees were actively exposed to …show more content…
Laborers are twice as likely to experience injury and illness and eight times more likely to not report it. The poultry business has the fifth highest rate in worker illness. This should come as no surprise because the employees are put in such an unsafe environment- dangerous machinery, cumulative trauma disorders, exposure to lethal chemicals and most recently there has been an increase in musculoskeletal hazards. Under most circumstances, workers risk losing their job should they report an incident or become injured. Since many do not know their rights, they are more often than not abused “which [augments] a host of other problems, including fear of reporting [incidents,] fear of retaliation, sexual harassment, [and] even lack of bathroom breaks.” (Omaid Zabih, MintPress News Testimonial) While unions are becoming increasingly important a mere 30% of workers have joined. Many laborers are bargaining for UFCW Local Unions to get better jobs, respect, safer working conditions and affordable