Events Calendar

Meat Packing Plant Workers: A Case Study of a Precarious Workforce

Fredric Gerr, MD
Professor Emeritus of Occupational and Environmental Health

December 2, 2020
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Presented via Zoom (a link will be provided closer to the date)

It is well-established that occupational injury and illness rates are highest among socioeconomically disenfranchised workers. Meat packing plant workers earn a median wage of $14/hour and, for decades, have experienced higher rates of occupational illness and injury than workers in other industries. Historically, traumatic injury and chronic musculoskeletal disorders have been the leading work-related conditions experienced by these workers. At the current time, pandemic COVID-19 has also disproportionately affected meat packing plant workers. This lecture will provide an overview of historical and current occupational injury and illnesses among meat packing plant workers as a case study of systemic disenfranchisement of precarious workers.