German Food Workers mobilize against outsourcing, wage dumping at meat giant Vion

Dutch-based meat transnational Vion has again become a target for action by the German Food Workers Union (NGG) following the announcement that Vion will subcontract slaughtering operations at its Emsteck (Lower Saxony) plant to a Romanian subcontractor whose workers will earn sub-poverty wages.

The NGG will be joined by representatives of environmental, small farmer, animal rights organizations and the Social Democratic Party for a demonstration at the Vion plant on January 11.

Last summer, 50 NGG members were dismissed when they refused to agree to inferior conditions being demanded by a new subcontractor at a Vion plant in Bavaria. Their places were filled by a Romanian company paying Romanian employees ca. €176 monthly net after multiple deductions. In addition to a €8.50 hourly minimum for meat workers, the NGG is demanding equal pay for all workers, foreign and German, an end to subcontracting and tougher workplace and environmental standards.

The NGG, environmental and farmer groups call for plant-level limits on slaughtering.