This is part 6 of an ongoing Pulitzer-Prize winning series. Click here for the earlier parts in the series, or to discuss the series as a whole.
One morning in 2019, an auditor arrived at a meatpacking plant in rural Minnesota. He was there on behalf of the national drugstore chain Walgreens to ensure that the factory, which made the company’s house brand of beef jerky, was safe and free of labor abuses.
He ran through a checklist of hundreds of possible problems, like locked emergency exits, sexual harassment and child labor. By the afternoon, he had concluded that the factory had no major violations. It could keep making jerky, and Walgreens customers could shop with a clear conscience.
When night fell, another 150 workers showed up at the plant. Among them were migrant children who had come to the United States by themselves looking for work. Children as young as 15 were operating heavy machinery capable of amputating fingers and crushing bones.
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At least where I’m from, the owners are told in advance when I spectors are coming.
Like, there was a turkey processing plant in my hometown. Everyone knew they broke multiple labor laws, but they never got caught, because they always got a heads up days in advance. Anyone not legally able to work, just didn’t work that day.
Inspectors show up to a half empty plant, say everything is fine
My guess is that the migrant workers and child workers know that if they are caught they will lose their job and their source of income.
Given that their families and their livelihoods rely on their ability to scrape in whatever money they can get, it is in the migrant workers best interests to hide their presence from inspectors.
Catching them and punishing the companies for hiring migrant workers is good for the soul of America for the long term but it’s bad for the lives of the people that are being exploited in the short term.
Until we can resolve that disparity this is going to continue to be an issue.
My guess is that the migrant workers and child workers know that if they are caught they will lose their job and their source of income.
Yep, the kids definitely don’t want to get caught, for obvious reasons. However, it’s not even in their best interests. Given the danger, lack of training, oversight, etc, we’re coming dangerously close to replicating the factories of the early industrial age. OSHA was established for a reason. Additionally, with how widespread the systemic issue is, it depresses wages both in the US and abroad, causing the cycle to continue
True, yet I feel that your view is an arms length view.
It is obvious that protections of the law such as minimum wage and OSHA standards are in the workers best interests, but if having them to protect you from a potential issue means that you go hungry tonight then lived experience means you will overlook their absence.
I feel that a better option would be to enact a law such as that should a company be found to be violating them, then they are financially responsible for covering any past loss as well a set period of future loss regardless of the nationality of their victims.
Strong disincentive to hire illegals in the first place would do more to solve the problem than trying to catch them playing whack a mole.
I agree, on the personal level they are stuck in the prisoner’s dilemma. They can’t bow out of the arrangement without personal loss. That’s why it’s on the govt to do it, not the migrants.
Strong disincentive to hire illegals in the first place would do more to solve the problem than trying to catch them playing whack a mole.
Oh yes, I couldn’t agree more on this point.
Perhaps whistle blower laws that means (part of) the fine goes to the whistleblower. Then it becomes in their interest.
Obviously that requires them to trust they wont face visa or deportation issues by raising the alarm too.
How about every such instance is dealt with massive and severe fines for the companies and work visa for the family?