Tyson Foods under investigation over child labour claims

Tyson Foods under investigation over child labour claims  Yahoo Finance

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Oct 17, 2024 - 20:30
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Tyson Foods under investigation over child labour claims

Tyson Foods Under Investigation Over Child Labour Claims

Tyson Foods is currently facing a government investigation into allegations that the US meat giant employed children as young as 11 at its facilities.

The US Department of Labor (DoL) conducted a search of the Green Forest and Rogers plants in Arkansas, which are owned by the company and responsible for the Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm brands. The investigation was initiated after the DoL received two separate anonymous tip-offs over the summer, suggesting that minors may have been working at Tyson’s factories.

The DoL is specifically examining whether Tyson has violated the Fair Labor Standards Act of the United States.

Anonymous Complaints

One of the search warrants, obtained by Just Food, revealed that a DoL investigator received a complaint on June 4th from an individual who overheard children between the ages of 11 and 13 discussing their employment at the Green Forest Tyson Foods processing plant. The children were reportedly working on the night shift from approximately 11pm to 7am or 8am.

In a separate tip-off also received in June, a teacher submitted a complaint to the DoL after a 14-year-old student shared details of working at a Tyson facility in Rogers over the summer.

Observations and Allegations

Following up on these complaints, investigators conducted surveillance at the Green Forest facility. In the search warrant application, they reported observing multiple individuals entering and exiting the facility whose appearance and body language indicated that they could potentially be minor employees below the age of 16. Photographs of these workers, alleged to be children, were included as evidence in the search warrant application.

The investigator stated, “Based on their appearance, dress, and demeanor, I believe them to be minors.” It was suggested that these minors could be working in hazardous conditions, such as on a “kill floor.”

Past Investigations

Last year, the DoL launched a probe into Tyson and other meat producers after a cleaning contractor was found to have hired children to work shifts in various meatpacking facilities in Arkansas and across the country. However, Tyson was not found to be in violation of labor laws during that investigation.

Just Food has reached out to Tyson for their response to the DoL investigation into the child labor claims, outside of US office hours.

“Tyson Foods Under Investigation Over Child Labour Claims” was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.


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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDGs Addressed in the Article

  • SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

2. Specific Targets Based on the Article’s Content

  1. 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.
  2. Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied in the Article

  • Presence of children between 11 and 13 years old discussing their employment at the Green Forest Tyson Foods processing plant.
  • Observation of individuals entering and exiting the facility who appeared to be potentially minor employees below the age of 16.
  • Photographs of workers alleged to be children attached to the search warrant application.
  • Possibility of minors working in hazardous conditions, such as on a “kill floor”.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs Targets Indicators
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.
  • Presence of children between 11 and 13 years old discussing their employment at the Green Forest Tyson Foods processing plant.
  • Observation of individuals entering and exiting the facility who appeared to be potentially minor employees below the age of 16.
  • Photographs of workers alleged to be children attached to the search warrant application.
  • Possibility of minors working in hazardous conditions, such as on a “kill floor”.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions Target 16.2: End abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and all forms of violence against and torture of children.
  • Presence of children between 11 and 13 years old discussing their employment at the Green Forest Tyson Foods processing plant.
  • Observation of individuals entering and exiting the facility who appeared to be potentially minor employees below the age of 16.
  • Photographs of workers alleged to be children attached to the search warrant application.
  • Possibility of minors working in hazardous conditions, such as on a “kill floor”.

Source: finance.yahoo.com