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Fines levied for child labor in meat packing plants

The U.S. Department of Labor has fined a Wisconsin-based company for child labor violations at meat packing plants.  Packers Sanitation Services LTD based in Kieler, Wisconsin paid more than 15 thousand dollars for each minor-aged employee, totaling 1.5 million dollars.  Labor department officials say the company had more than 100 minors working as equipment cleaners at 13 meat processing facilities in eight states.

The investigation began last August after a report of children cleaning power equipment at JBS USA plants in Grand Island, Nebraska, and Worthington, Minnesota, as well as Turkey Valley Farms in Marshall, Minnesota.

Overall, the agency found that more than 100 children between the ages of 13 and 17 had been cleaning meat processing equipment, exposing them to sharp saws and hazardous chemicals.  Labor department officials say the adults at the facilities also hindered their investigations.

The three violations in Minnesota were found at Turkey Valley Farms in Marshall, Buckhead Meat in St. Cloud, and JBS Foods in Worthington.  The Nebraska plants affected were Gibbon Packing Company in Gibbon, JBS Foods in Grand Island, and Greater Omaha Packing Company in Omaha.

The other affected facilities are George’s Inc. in Batesville, Arkansas,  Tyson Foods in Green Forest, Arkansas, JBS Foods in Greeley, Colorado, Maple Leaf Farms in Milford, Indiana, Cargill in Dodge City, Kansas, Tyson Foods in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, and Cargill in Fiona, Texas.