Department of Labor investigating child labor claims at Tyson

The Sustainable Development Goals and Child Labor at Tyson Foods

Introduction

Court documents recently unsealed in the Western District of Arkansas have brought to light allegations of child labor at Tyson processing plants. These allegations have prompted the U.S. Department of Labor to conduct searches and investigations.

Inspection Warrants

1. Applications for inspection warrants were filed in September 2024 for Tyson Foods Rogers and Tyson Foods Green Forest.

Accusations and Investigations

• The applications included narratives from an investigator at the Houston District Office for the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor.
• The investigator claims that there is reason to believe minors are employed in violation of labor laws at the Tyson locations in Rogers and Green Forest.
• The warrants were seeking records relating to the employment of minors, and the searches were meant to gather records relating to employees for Tyson Foods or affiliates and contractors of Tyson Foods.
• Reviews of the processing plants began in June 2024 after anonymous complaints were received by the Wage and Hour Division.
• Observations conducted outside both locations revealed potential minor employees below the age of 16.
• Investigators noted that the children were believed to have been working in potentially hazardous conditions.

Anonymous Tips

• For the Rogers application, an anonymous tip from a teacher at a nearby school reported that one of her 14-year-old students discussed working at the Tyson facility with his mother for the summer.
• For the Green Forest application, a complainant who was a mother of middle schoolers overheard children between 11 and 13 years old discussing their employment at the Green Forest plant on the night shift.

Statement from the Acting Secretary

The applications included a memorandum from Julie Su, the Acting Secretary for the Department of Labor. The memorandum stated, “The Acting Secretary has received information that Tyson Foods employs minors in violation of labor laws and potentially hazardous occupations.”

Search Warrants

• A search warrant was executed at 3 a.m. on Sept. 11 for the Green Forest plant and at around 7 a.m. on Sept. 11 for the Rogers plant.

Tyson Foods’ Response

Tyson Foods responded to the allegations by stating, “We do not allow the employment of anyone under the age of 18 in any of our facilities, and we do not facilitate or participate in the use of child labor. We take labor laws seriously and have procedures in place to verify the age of all team members.”

Conclusion

The allegations of child labor at Tyson Foods processing plants raise concerns about the violation of labor laws and the potential exploitation of minors. These allegations highlight the importance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Goal 4: Quality Education. Efforts should be made to ensure the protection of children’s rights and their access to education, as outlined in the SDGs.

References

1. Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
2. Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone.
3. Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device.
4. To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor.
   • Indicator 8.7.1: Proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor, by sex and age group (ILO methodology)

The article highlights accusations of child labor at Tyson processing plants, which is directly connected to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The specific target under this SDG that can be identified is Target 8.7, which aims to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The article mentions that there is reason to believe minors are employed in violation of labor laws at Tyson locations, indicating a potential violation of Target 8.7.

The article also indirectly implies the use of Indicator 8.7.1, which measures the proportion and number of children aged 5-17 years engaged in child labor. The investigations mentioned in the article were conducted to gather evidence of child labor, which aligns with the purpose of this indicator.

Source: 5newsonline.com