Poultry Workers in Diapers as Bathroom Breaks Denied, Oxfam Says

Re:Poultry Workers in Diapers as Bathroom Breaks Denied, Oxf... by nefitty on Wednesday May 11, 2016 @04:15PM (#11678854)

I shouldn't have read this as I was eating. Anyways, this is another example of why I switched to a vegetarian diet. I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea that there are people handling food products while defecating in an adult diaper. If they can't get bathroom breaks, that means they have to wear that dirty diaper until they are allowed to leave the line.

I don't know what interest Oxfam would have in pushing false allegations about the poultry industry, so this should be taken very seriously by these companies. They need to look at managers' and team leaders' incentives around time limits, etc. If a team leader is being motivated by a strict quota, if they are enough of a sociopath it could lead to terrible working conditions to those immediately below them.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Poultry Workers in Diapers as Bathroom Breaks Denied, Oxf... by ctrlalt_g on Wednesday May 11, 2016 @04:38PM (#11679051)

I'm not sure that being a vegetarian protects you from the effects of poor working conditions in American factories. As long as there is widespread exploitation of undocumented or otherwise vulnerable workers, I think conditions like these will continue to be fairly common.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Poultry Workers in Diapers as Bathroom Breaks Denied, Oxf... by zer00eyz on Wednesday May 11, 2016 @05:08PM (#11679291)

Lots of reasons to be a vegetarian, or just eat a lot less meat. This is one from a moral standpoint.

From a heath standpoint that might not be the case: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1148.html

"Conditions observed at multiple such firms in the state of Puebla included human feces and toilet paper found in growing fields and around facilities;"

Edit: remember folks, wash your veggies!

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Poultry Workers in Diapers as Bathroom Breaks Denied, Oxf... by pweissbrod on Wednesday May 11, 2016 @04:37PM (#11679031)

I share your vegetarian beliefs but such labor practices can easy reach beyond poultry, beyond agriculture and into mass production of many different markets.

Poultry (also fish) is one of the sketchier markets of produce industry, but to me this illustrates more widespread view of what we consider acceptable treatment of low-skill labor workers.

[ Parent | on HN ]