Damning report on the American poultry industry

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Workers urinate and defecate while standing on the line; they wear diapers to work; they restrict intake of liquids and fluids to dangerous degrees; they endure pain and discomfort while they worry about their health and job security. And they are in danger of serious health problems.

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The situation strikes women particularly hard. They face biological realities such as menstruation, pregnancy, and higher vulnerability to infections; and they struggle to maintain their dignity and privacy when requesting breaks.

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In one survey of 266 workers in Alabama conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center, nearly 80 percent said they are not allowed to take bathroom breaks when needed.2 A recent survey in Minnesota revealed that 86 percent of workers interviewed said they get fewer than two bathroom breaks in a week.3 The problem is so large, and of such vital importance to workers, that poultry workers at the Case Farms plant in Morganton, NC recently launched a campaign with Western North Carolina Workers’ Center solely around the issue, demanding the company provide them with bathroom breaks when needed.

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