Alleged poultry worker wage fixing lawsuits combined

Two lawsuits that allege the top poultry companies of the United States conspired to fix wages for poultry plant workers were consolidated in a Maryland federal court.

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Jason Morrison | Freeimages.com
Jason Morrison | Freeimages.com

Two lawsuits that allege the top poultry companies of the United States conspired to fix wages for poultry plant workers were consolidated in a Maryland federal court.

In August, three former poultry plant workers --  Judy Jien, who was employed at Tyson Foods and George’s; Kico Jibidi, a former employee of Simmons Foods and Tyson Foods, and Elaisa Clement, a former employee of George’s – filed a lawsuit against the poultry companies, alleging they had been conspiring since January 1, 2009, to fix worker wages.

Specifically, the plaintiffs claim that “off the books” meetings were held among management personnel while attending a U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) Human Resources Seminar in Destin, Florida. Those meetings were not a formal part of the event, and therefore were not on the agendas.

During those “off the books,” meetings, defendant companies allegedly exchanged information, discussed and ultimately set uniform wages, according to a court filing.

Companies listed as defendants in the case are: Perdue Farms, Tyson Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, Sanderson Farms, Koch Foods, Wayne Farms, Peco Foods, Mountaire Farms, Simmons Foods, Fieldale Farms, George’s Inc., House of Raeford Farms, OK Foods, Harrison Poultry, Mar-Jac Poultry, Amick Farms, Case Foods, Allen Harim Foods, Agri Stats and Weber Meng Sahl & Co.

The suit also alleges, based “upon information and belief,” that similar conspiring to fix wages took place among defendant company representatives who were attending other meetings of the National Chicken Council, Joint Poultry Industry Human Resources Council, Georgia Poultry Federation, North Carolina Poultry Federations, and The Poultry Federation.

According to a Law360 report, a nearly identical lawsuit was filed in a Maryland federal court several days after the first suit was filed. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher decided to consolidate the two lawsuits, “given the substantial similarity of the parties and claims.”

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