The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 has called for federal, state, and local authorities to investigate alleged human trafficking and labor violations at JBS USA Holdings, Inc., a meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado that recently made headlines after a report detailed that Haitian migrants who worked for the company denounced deplorable living conditions.
UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova voiced outrage over the treatment of immigrant workers at the Greeley plant, calling the conditions "completely unacceptable." Cordova urged authorities to hold JBS accountable for the mistreatment of its employees, many of whom are migrant workers.
“What has happened to these workers, who came to our country legally in search of a better life for themselves and their families, is completely unacceptable,” said UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova. https://t.co/nG0XGIyWHT
— UFCW Local 7 (@UFCW_7) September 24, 2024
"These workers came to our country legally in search of a better life for themselves and their families," said Cordova in a press release. "We call on all relevant law enforcement and regulatory agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the treatment of our members, and we will continue to do everything we can to bring full accountability."
According to the union, the allegations include "serious human trafficking tactics", such as recruiting workers via TikTok and charging them for substandard company-provided housing, job applications, and transportation. Workers reportedly lived in overcrowded conditions, with as many as 40 to 50 people crammed into a five-bedroom home, each paying up to $120 per week for rent.
Additional accusations involve threats and intimidation against the workers and their families abroad. The union also claims that production line speeds have been dangerously increased, putting workers at risk, and that the company has withheld important mail, such as medical bills and legal documents.
The Latin Times sent out a media request to get JBS's response to the allegations and recieved the following email from Nikki Richardson, a member of the company's corporate communications team:
"Since being made aware of this situation, we have put new HR leaders in place at the facility and added new recruitment training programs to ensure our teams follow JBS' strict hiring compliance policies. We are also working with the UFCW International to educate prospective and current team members about our hiring policies enterprise wide.
JBS does not charge team members or applicants for any pre-employment services, including transportation, application, pre-hire medical requirements, or housing, nor do we require them to live in any specific location. Any allegations of poor living conditions are unacceptable and upsetting. We want all of our employees to have access to safe housing and the opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their families."
According to Richardson, the company barred an individual accused of charging rent to the Haitian workers, adding that said individual was "never a JBS employee."
This is not the first time JBS has come under scrutiny for its treatment of immigrant workers. In response to previous allegations brought by the union, JBS launched an internal investigation. However, Cordova criticized the investigation, noting that the company has continued to employ individuals involved in the mistreatment of workers, including a human resources supervisor who was transferred to another plant.
UFCW claims that as many as 500 Haitian migrants, legally residing in the U.S. through work visas or asylum, are affected by these alleged labor violations. UFCW Local 7 also suspects that other JBS facilities, including plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania, may be involved in similar practices.
The union has filed reports with several government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Labor Relations Board, among others.
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