Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

kpete

(71,901 posts)
Wed May 1, 2013, 11:16 PM May 2013

One Reason It’s Hard to Write About the Bangladesh Factory Disaster

Current U.S. treatment of our most vulnerable workforce isn’t exactly an exemplar:

Social workers said the disabled men had been denied bathroom breaks, locked in their rooms, kicked in the groin and, in one case, handcuffed to a bed.




DAVENPORT, Iowa — A jury on Wednesday awarded a total of $240 million to 32 mentally disabled turkey processing plant workers in Iowa for what an expert witness described as years of “virtual enslavement” by the Texas company that oversaw their care, work and lodging…

During the weeklong trial that ended Wednesday, officials testified about the squalid conditions they found during a 2009 inspection of the bunkhouse where the men were housed. The building, which was in a rural area several miles from the West Liberty Foods turkey processing plant where they worked, was falling apart, infested with rodents and full of fire hazards.

Social workers spoke of the physical and verbal abuse the men said they had been subjected to by the Henry’s supervisors who oversaw their work and care. They said they had been forced to work through illness and injuries, denied bathroom breaks, locked in their rooms, kicked in the groin and, in one case, handcuffed to a bed…

“If these men had not been virtually enslaved, they could have enjoyed productive lives with the support of community,” she said. “It was only because they were disabled.”


OMFG:
http://news.msn.com/us/iowa-turkey-plant-workers-awarded-dollar240m-for-years-of-abuse
1 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
One Reason It’s Hard to Write About the Bangladesh Factory Disaster (Original Post) kpete May 2013 OP
World wide problem. And the GOP refused to sign the UN treaty on disability because, meh, UN... freshwest May 2013 #1

freshwest

(53,661 posts)
1. World wide problem. And the GOP refused to sign the UN treaty on disability because, meh, UN...
Wed May 1, 2013, 11:59 PM
May 2013

Yes, we are going backwards. And some places never went forwards in the first place.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»One Reason It’s Hard to W...