Three of the largest poultry companies in the United States were named in a civil antitrust lawsuit from the US Department of Justice over an ongoing case alleging wage suppression of workers.
The proposed consent decree from Cargill Inc., Sanderson Farms Inc. and Wayne Farms LLC would call for the poultry processors to pay $84.8 million in restitution to workers effected in the alleged conspiracy. The decree would also prohibit the three poultry companies from sharing competitively sensitive information about workers’ compensation. Weber, Meng, Shal and Co., (WMS) a data consulting company, were also named in the case.
In
its lawsuit, the DOJ said two of the poultry processors violated the Packers and Stockyards Act by engaging in deceptive practices associated with the “tournament system,” which pits chicken growers against each other to determine compensation.
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