Advertisement

Oxfam: Poultry Plant Workers Unable To Take Bathroom Breaks

05:42
Download Audio
Resume
In this file photo taken June 19, 2003, chickens gather around a feeder in a Tyson Foods Inc., poultry house near Farmington, Ark. A report released May 10, 2016, by international advocacy group Oxfam says some poultry workers in the United States are denied bathroom breaks. A Tyson worker said in the report that many workers at his North Carolina plant “have to urinate in their pants.” Tyson said it's "concerned" by the claims, but currently has "no evidence they’re true.” (April L. Brown/AP)
In this file photo taken June 19, 2003, chickens gather around a feeder in a Tyson Foods Inc., poultry house near Farmington, Ark. A report released May 10, 2016, by international advocacy group Oxfam says some poultry workers in the United States are denied bathroom breaks. A Tyson worker said in the report that many workers at his North Carolina plant “have to urinate in their pants.” Tyson said it's "concerned" by the claims, but currently has "no evidence they’re true.” (April L. Brown/AP)

A new scathing report by Oxfam America details the poor working conditions of poultry plant workers in America. The poultry industry is earning record profits and producing billions of chickens a year, but inside production plants employees are subject to inhumane working conditions, like not being able to use the bathroom upon request.

Some workers opt to wear diapers on the assembly line but in other cases 40 minute wait times lead to accidents and health issues. Here & Now’s Meghna Chakrabarti speaks with Oliver Gottfried, senior advocacy and collaborations adviser for Oxfam America, about “Lives on the Line."

Read Tyson's and Perdue's responses to Oxfam America's report.

Guest

This segment aired on May 13, 2016.

Advertisement

More from Here & Now

Listen Live
Close