Dive Brief:
- A recently released report from Oxfam America has called into question practices at U.S. poultry processing plants, such as that employees reportedly do not receive adequate bathroom breaks and as a result, risk health complications.
- Manufacturers involved could risk financial and legal consequences, as denying employees regular bathroom breaks violates U.S. workplace safety regulations. Such actions could also potentially violate anti-discrimination laws, according to Oxfam America.
- The report suggests that poultry companies take certain precautionary measures, such as staffing enough line assistants and "floaters" nearby to relieve employees when they need to use the restroom. Oxfam found that few plants employ enough relief workers.
Dive Insight:
Poultry plants where workers belonged to unions tended to have better practices in place regarding adequate bathroom breaks. That's presumably because unionized workers are informed of their rights and put in place special employee protections. About one-third of the poultry workforce is unionized, according to the report.
Tyson is the only company cited in the Oxfam report that has a publicly stated policy for bathroom breaks, but worker complaints suggest that plant supervisors may not be compliant with company policy. In response, Tyson said it found the claims "troubling" and that the company does not tolerate supervisors not abiding by the company's bathroom break policy. Tyson also pointed to its new sustainability report, for which the company has been reassessing working conditions in its plants.
Perdue responded to Oxfam's report, saying the company takes the allegations seriously, as they are not consistent with company policies and practices. The company said after reviewing the complaints, the anonymous employees in question may not have used available options to voice their concerns via the company's Open Door Policy. In a statement, Perdue also shared its bathroom breaks policy, which the Oxfam report had noted was not previously publicized.
Politico reported this statement from the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry and Egg Association: "We believe such instances are extremely rare and that U.S. poultry companies work hard to prevent them ... Although individual practices vary by company, restroom breaks are planned for any production line. Most facilities also employ extra people to cover for production workers who request a bathroom break. In addition, medical-related situations are taken into account and accommodations are made."
The report's recommendations to improve employee well-being on the plant floor include developing specific policies for bathroom breaks and having these policies verified and publicized.
Setting up regular internal and independent reviews can assess ongoing compliance and identify complications to be addressed in new company policies.
Hiring additional relief workers may be an additional investment on the payroll and training side. But doing so could enable companies to boost employees' morale while maintaining productivity quotas.