A class-action suit has been filed against 11 of the country’s largest meat processors and several of their subsidiaries, stating they have conspired to fix and depress the wages paid to employees at processing plants nationwide.
The suit alleges since 2014, the companies have engaged in a conspiracy to keep wages low through compensation surveys, the exchange of compensation data, meetings among executives and no-poach agreements. The plaintiffs accuse the processors of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Together, the companies process 80% of red meat sold nationwide through 140 processing plants, and the companies include JBS USA, Cargill, Hormel Foods Corp., American Foods Group LLC, Triumph Foods LLC, Seaboard Foods LLC, National Beef Packing Co. LLC, Iowa Premium LLC, Smithfield Foods Inc., Perdue Farms Inc., Washington Beef LLC and Agri Beef Co. The suit also includes consulting companies Agri Stats Inc. and Webber, Meng, Sahl and Co.
