Slaughterhouse cleaning crews unionize at US firm fined for hiring kids (updated)

WH

22/06/2023 20:47

(Adds comments from labor union in second and third paragraphs
and from Smithfield Foods in eighth paragraph)
    By Tom Polansek
       CHICAGO, June 22 (Reuters) - 
    More than 200 workers who clean meat plants have unionized
after their employer paid U.S. fines for hiring children to do
dangerous jobs sanitizing slaughterhouses, the United Food and
Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Union said on Thursday.
  
        The union said it now represents Packer Sanitation
Services Inc (PSSI) employees who clean a Smithfield Foods plant
in Mason City, Iowa, and a National Beef Packing Co plant in
Liberal, Kansas.
  
        The UFCW continues to organize at other facilities after
the 220 PSSI employees unionized, said Mark Lauritsen, UFCW's
vice president and director of the food processing. The union
added that it reached an agreement with PSSI to offer
representation to employees across the country.
    PSSI contracts with meatpacking companies to provide
cleaning services at slaughterhouses. The company said it
recognized its employees' decision to choose UFCW as their
bargaining representative at the plants.
        PSSI said it has more than 15,000 employees nationwide
at over 400 plants. About 3,500 are under the UFCW's
jurisdiction, according to the union.
    In February, the U.S. Department of Labor said PSSI paid
$1.5 million in penalties for employing more than 100 teenagers
in jobs at meatpacking plants in eight states. The children
worked overnight shifts and used hazardous chemicals to clean
dangerous meat processing equipment such as brisket saws.
    "The problems we have witnessed in the industry must firmly
remain a thing of the past and we believe that good, strong,
union contracts are crucial to protecting all meatpacking and
food processing workers," UFCW President Marc Perrone said.
    Smithfield, the world's largest pork processor, said PSSI
cleans less than half its processing plants, including the
facility in Mason City, Iowa. The meat company, owned by Hong
Kong's WH Group  0288.HK , is evaluating options for its
sanitation contracts, spokesman Jim Monroe said.
        National Beef had no immediate comment. 
  
        Other meatpackers including JBS USA and Cargill Inc have
said they were ending contracts with PSSI.

 (Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by David Gregorio)
 ((Thomas.Polansek@thomsonreuters.com))