US pork processor Smithfield to pay $2M in child labor settlement

SMITHFIELD FOODS – ONE OF THE U-S’ LARGEST MEAT PROCESSORS – HAS AGREED TO PAY TWO MILLION DOLLARS IN A SETTLEMENT OVER CHILD LABOR ALLEGATIONS.

A MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF LABOR INVESTIGATION FOUND THE SMITHFIELD PACKAGED MEATS PLANT IN ST. JAMES EMPLOYED AT LEAST 11 CHILDREN – FROM 14 TO 17 YEARS OLD – FROM APRIL 20-21 TO APRIL 20-23.

THE AGENCY ALSO FOUND SMITHFIELD LET NINE OF THE UNDERAGE EMPLOYEES WORK AFTER ALLOWABLE HOURS AND HAD ALL 11 PERFORM POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WORK.

SMITHFIELD ALSO AGREED TO NOT BREAK LABOR LAWS IN THE FUTURE, AS PART OF THE SETTLEMENT.

IN A STATEMENT – SMITHFIELD DENIED KNOWINGLY HIRING ANYONE UNDER 18.

IT ALSO SAID ALL 11 PASSED THE FEDERAL E-VERIFY EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY SYSTEM BY USING FALSE IDENTIFICATION.

THE CASE IS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS BY MAJOR US MEAT PRODUCERS, WHICH HAVE FOR YEARS STRUGGLED TO FILL THEIR PLANTS AMID WORKER SHORTAGES.

LAST YEAR – THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF LABOR IMPOSED MORE THAN 1 POINT 5 MILLION DOLLARS IN CIVIL PENALTIES AGAINST ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST CLEANING SERVICES FOR FOOD PROCESSING COMPANIES AFTER FINDING IT EMPLOYED MORE THAN 100 CHILDREN IN DANGEROUS JOBS AT 13 MEATPACKING PLANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

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