The nation’s chicken-processing companies created a covert cartel to suppress wages paid to many Americans and immigrants, according to a lawsuit by the Handley Farah & Anderson law firm in Washington D.C.
“For more than a decade, Defendants have conspired and combined to fix and depress the compensation paid to non-supervisory production and maintenance employees at chicken processing plants in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman [antitrust] Act,” says the lawsuit, which was filed August 30 in a Baltimore court.
“Defendants formed and implemented the conspiracy to reduce labor costs and maximize profits,” and should be required to pay damage to their “hundreds of thousands” of swindled employees, including many uneducated legal and illegal immigrants, the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit is aided by at least two unidentified witnesses from the industry, which includes Sanderson Farms, Koch Foods, Tysons Foods, Perdue, and some of the Georgia companies that were visited by federal law enforcement officials in early August. The 18 firms and their 200 processing plants deliver 90 percent of the chicken sold in the United States and employ 250,000 people, said the lawsuit.
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8 comments:
So just what IS a fair wage to unskilled labor? Whatever someone will take for a paycheck, that's what. It isn't forced labor. It's a job offer that is accepted by the employees. Nobody was "swindled." Two witnesses! Big deal. How many lawyers involved? The lawsuit is about the lawyers, not the employees. Does anyone really think any employees are going to get anything from this lawsuit? A DC law firm suing poultry processors. What a joke. I bet nary one of those lawyers have ever set foot in a poultry processing plant. And I also bet they are not working "Pro Bono" either.
Shining example of why keeping pay information classified is never in the interest of labor or workers.
If you work for a company that isn't open about pay, or requires you to be quiet about your pay, you can be sure they are ripping you off.
The LABOR market is a market just like anyone else. You won't know or be able to achieve fair wage if you are made to hide your compensation. Never consent to it.
uh, yeah. Duh! Why else would there be such high concentrations of Hispanic housing within 3 miles of all of the chicken plants.
Millsboro, Dagsboro/ Frankford, Selbyville, Temperanceville, Accomac, etc. Predominantly Hispanic now.
Who are the people bringing this suit? PEDA lawyers?
Uneducated people are making a lot of money plucking chickens.
They should be paid more. People need to use their heads that poisoned smelly crap Perdue and the others sell that they call chicken but in reality isn't fit for a rabid dogs last meal isn't as cheap as you think it is. The hidden costs are astronomical. Most of their employees receive at least one many multiple welfare benefits. So you half wits are paying for companies who do billions employees. It's asinine to defend these companies. Completely asinine and anyone who does put YOUR money where you mouth is and "adopt" a family who relies on one of these companies for their livelihood and pay for their food, give them rental assistance, pay for medical insurance so the family can get off Medicaid, make or pay for the children's lunch and on and on. Not only do they get welfare benefits they also use a lot of the free resources such as food pantries, free school supplies and sign up for Christmas gifts. Again only a stupid moron would defend the low pay and if you do defend then either adopt a family or pay more in taxes then you owe or give refund back since you like paying for billion dollar companies' employees so much.
Big companies need those cheap hoes in the general population is for their health and welfare in the roof over their head and food in her mouth
When Jake Day goes back to Perdue Live Hang for employment....
we can wait to ask Jake how much money he makes than
And everyone hates Unions because they fight for living wages with benefits
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