Tyson Foods under investigation by Department of Labor over child labor claims – KTVU FOX 2 San Francisco

Tyson Foods Under Investigation for Alleged Employment of Underaged Children

article

FILE-Tyson Foods frozen chicken products sit in a refrigerated section of a store on August 08, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Tyson Foods is currently facing an investigation regarding allegations of employing underaged children at its processing plants.

Investigation by the Houston District Office for the Wage and Hour Division

The Houston District Office for the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor is conducting a probe into Tyson Foods following court documents that revealed claims of child labor at the company’s processing plants.

Allegations of Child Labor at Tyson Foods Plants

Court documents obtained by KFSM-TV in Arkansas found that inspection warrants were filed in September 2024, alleging the employment of minors at the Tyson Foods Rogers and Tyson Foods Green Forest plants in Arkansas.

Initiation of the Review Process

The review of the processing plants began in June 2024 after anonymous complaints were received by the Houston District Office for the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Purpose of the Inspection Warrants

The warrants were issued to search for records of minors working at the plants and to collect information related to workers employed by Tyson Foods or its affiliates and contractors.

Anonymous Tip from a Teacher

In an inspection application for the Tyson Foods Rogers plant, a teacher at an Arkansas school provided an anonymous tip to the Wage and Hour Division. The tip informed the agency that one of her 14-year-old students had mentioned working at the Tyson plant with his mother during the summer.

Overheard Conversations by a Mother

In another application for the Tyson Foods Green Forest plant, KFSM-TV reported that a mother of middle schoolers overheard children between the ages of 11 and 13 discussing working at the Green Forest plant during the night shift, which ran from 11 p.m. to 7 or 8 a.m.

Discussion of Payment Issues

The children allegedly discussed their inability to withdraw money from their paychecks using an ATM, as stated in court documents cited by KFSM-TV.

Investigation Findings

In July 2024, investigators were assigned to conduct observations at the Tyson Foods Rogers and Tyson Foods Green Forest plants. It was determined that there were employees under the age of 16, and one investigator documented that the children were working in potentially dangerous conditions.

Tyson Foods’ Response

Tyson Foods provided a statement to KFSM-TV in response to the allegations. The company stated that it does not allow the employment of underaged workers and does not participate in the use of child labor.

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 (according to the International Labor Organization definition of child labor).

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 8, specifically 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 discusses allegations of child labor at Tyson Foods processing plants, which directly relates to the target of ending child labor. The indicator 8.7.1, which measures the proportion and number of children engaged in child labor, can be used to measure progress towards this target.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: ktvu.com