Thirty One Children Found Working Overnight on Meat Processing Plant Kill Floors in Minnesota and Nebraska

(KNSI) — The U.S. Department of Labor has requested a temporary nationwide injunction against Wisconsin-based Packers Sanitation Services, Inc. after it was discovered minors were working in dangerous conditions and on overnight shifts at food processing plants in Minnesota and Nebraska.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division received credible information alleging the company assigned minors to work in hazardous occupations. Investigators executed search warrants at the company’s operations at JBS USA plants in Worthington and Grand Island, Nebraska, Turkey Valley Farms in Marshall and its corporate office in Kieler, Wisconsin. Thirty-one children were allegedly working for PSSI to clean industrial equipment. A 13-year-old sustained caustic chemical burns and other injuries on a kill floor at the JBS USA plant in Nebraska. In its filing, the department alleges PSSI interfered with an investigation by intimidating minor workers to stop them from cooperating with investigators. PSSI also allegedly deleted and manipulated employment files.

PSSI provides contract sanitation and other services for about 700 food processing facilities nationwide and employs about 17,000 workers.

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