Unveiling the Challenges of Immigrant Workers at Tyson Foods
Alice Driver’s latest book, “Life and Death of the American Worker: The Immigrants Taking on America’s Largest Meatpacking Company,” shines a light on the plight of immigrant workers at Tyson Foods during the COVID-19 pandemic. This in-depth expose delves into the lives of workers who risked their lives in rural Arkansas chicken processing plants, highlighting the harsh conditions they faced.
The book, which started as an article in 2020, became a four-year project as Driver continued to investigate the meatpacking industry. She encountered workers who, fearing retaliation, were hesitant to speak out about their experiences. However, as workers began to die from COVID-19, their families became more willing to share their stories, seeking justice for their loved ones.
The meatpacking industry, often hidden from public view, represents a significant sector of American labor. Tyson Foods, the largest meatpacking company in the US, employs roughly 500,000 workers nationwide. A significant percentage of these workers are immigrants and refugees, many of whom are undocumented. They face hazardous working conditions, and, on average, twenty-seven workers a day suffer injuries requiring hospitalization or amputation.
Driver’s work underscores the resilience and courage of these workers, who come from diverse backgrounds, including Mexico and Central America. The book also highlights the immigrants’ fear of retaliation, as many are terrified of losing their jobs if they speak out about the poor working conditions. To amplify their voices, Driver wrote her book in a “novels in voices” style, similar to the approach of Svetlana Alexievich, allowing the workers to tell their stories with minimal interpretation.
The detailed narratives collected by Driver paint a chilling picture of the work environment. Issues range from lack of proper medical care for injured workers to the use of technology and artificial intelligence that makes it difficult to hold anyone accountable for worker injuries. The book is not just a critique of Tyson Foods but also a testament to the strength and unity of these workers in their fight for better labor conditions.
Driver’s work has sparked significant attention, with her book being the subject of discussions and interviews. The stories she shares are a powerful call to action, urging the public to acknowledge the critical role these workers play in the American food system, even as they face extreme hardships. As Tyson Foods continues to be a dominant force in the industry, “Life and Death of the American Worker” serves as a reminder that American labor is often synonymous with the meatpacking industry and its immigrants, whose voices must be heard and whose struggles must be acknowledged.