OSHA investigates Algona factory farm for unsafe working conditions

Workers organized by Iowa CCI members filed complaints detailing animal cruelty, unsafe working conditions, racial discrimination, and other civil rights violations

An organizing campaign in Algona is highlighting the intersection of two of our primary issues – environmental and worker justice.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has opened an investigation into unsafe working conditions at Anogla Pork LLC, a factory farm in Algona, after a group of workers organized by Iowa CCI members filed a complaint with the federal agency earlier this summer.

“On-site inspection was initiated,” said Peggy Sue Peterson, a U.S. Department of Labor official from Des Moines wrote in an email to Iowa CCI organizing staff.  “We are not allowed to provide information on open case files.”

Workers also filed complaints with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission and the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship’s Animal Welfare Bureau.  The complaints detailed inhumane and unsafe working conditions, racial discrimination, harassment and animal cruelty.

The group of Latino workers said that they were denied breaks that were granted to white employees, were berated by managers for being Latino and speaking Spanish, discouraged from going to the doctor when they reported injuries, forced to work in unsafe, dangerous facilities and environments with expired or otherwise inadequate safety equipment, and other potentially illegal working conditions.

“I wasn’t treated like a human being,” said Melissa Marquez, an affected worker and Iowa CCI member.  “They snapped their fingers at me and yelled obscenities at me if I asked to take a water break in 110 degree heat.”

“We were never allowed to take our earned vacation time like the managers.  They always said there was just too much work, but they would take random days off all the time,” said Diana Rivera, a CCI member and former employee. “We complained, and human resources said there was nothing they could do about it.”

Former worker Lourdes Castro reported that when she needed to use emergency eye-wash, the eye-wash was expired. The workers also reported that they were forced to work in unsafe structures and dirty facilities and were exposed to toxic manure fumes without proper safety equipment.

Anogla Pork LLC managers Kyle Carroll, Pat Briceño and Don Hanson were named in the complaints. Workers reported that Rodney Davis, from Suidae Health and Production, is in charge of human resources and hired them to work at Anogla Pork LLC.

During a meeting on August 26th, a current worker –whose name is being withheld to protect her privacy because she is still employed by Anogla – said that many workers are also experiencing severe illnesses that they believe are related to working in unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

Many of the workers said they had seen hogs kicked, slapped, and otherwise abused and mistreated by supervisors.

“Sometimes we saw pigs that were very sick, with maggots on the legs and in the feeding areas,” said Henry Reyes, a former employee and Iowa CCI member.

DNR records indicate that the Anogla factory farm in question was built in 1998.