VOA慢速英语--美国肉类包装业面临移民工人短缺

When Martha Kebede's adult sons moved from Ethiopia to join her in the United States this year, they had few job possibilities.

The brothers took jobs at Smithfield Foods' meat processing business near Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where their mother lives. The work there is difficult. It also has become increasingly risky¹. The new coronavirus has sickened thousands of meatpacking workers nationwide.

One day half the workers in one department did not show up for work. Later, the brothers tested positive for COVID-19.

"It was very, very sad," Martha Kebede told the Associated Press.

Almost 175,000 immigrants are employed in the U.S. meatpacking industry. It has historically depended on foreign-born workers for some of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

At least 20 meatpacking workers have died from COVID-19. Several meatpacking centers have temporarily closed because of the coronavirus spread. This has raised concerns about possible labor² shortages to meet demand for cow, pig and chicken meat.

Companies struggling to find workers before the coronavirus crisis are spending millions on new ways to appeal to employees. Their ability to bring in new workers depends on things like unemployment levels, industry changes, and employees' feelings about safety. It also depends on U.S. President Donald Trump³'s immigration policies.

Trump has restricted nearly all immigration. But his administration recently gave seasonal⁵ workers 60-day extensions, affecting some in the meatpacking industry.

Daniel Costa with the Economic Policy Institute said that about 350 foreign workers were given official approval for meat industry jobs in 2019. Such H-2B visa holders⁶, limited to 66,000 per year, are commonly employed in other industries.

But there has been willingness to expand. In early March, the Trump administration announced that 35,000 additional foreign workers would be permitted into the U.S. to take seasonal jobs. The following month, the plan was suspended for "present economic circumstances."

The nonprofit Migration⁴ Policy Institute reports that immigrants represent about 40 percent of the nearly 470,000 workers in U.S. meatpacking. Estimates on undocumented immigrants vary from 14 percernt to more than 50 percent at some factories.

Industry leaders say they offer jobs with benefits and paths to higher positions for all workers. Paulina Francisco said her 21 years at Smithfield in Sioux City, Iowa, helped her buy a home -- something she did not think was possible when she immigrated⁷ from Guatemala. She is now a citizen.

Still, most jobs are rural, limiting workers' access to lawyers, favorable labor laws and other kinds of jobs. Hourly pay averages around $12 for physically⁸ demanding work. Workers in the country illegally fear being sent back if they take action against poor labor conditions.

"Vulnerable populations work well" for the industry, said Joshua Specht, a University of Notre Dame⁹ professor.

Sudanese refugee Salaheldin Ahmed moved to South Dakota six years ago to work at Smithfield. After escaping war, the 44-year-old says he feels little worry, even after testing positive for the coronavirus.

"They were killing¹⁰ in front of you," said Ahmed, of the violence he witnessed in Sudan. "The coronavirus is nothing." He has recovered from COVID-19.

Some data suggests that police raids at these plants may temporarily decrease immigrant employment.

Michael Clemens is a migration expert with the Center for Global Development, a nonprofit research group. He said noncitizens represented 52 percent of U.S. meatpacking in 2006 and then 42 percent by 2008. But during the Great Recession of 2008 those percentages changed again. By 2011, about 56 percent of meatpacking workers were noncitizens.

With the fast turnover¹¹ of employees, it is common for factories to re-employ an entire workforce¹² yearly, says the non-profit group National Employment Law Project, or NELP. It seeks policies that support workers rights. NELP's health and safety program director, Debbie Berkowitz said meat packing companies "want to look for workers they can exploit, rather than workers that would feel comfortable raising concerns."

The North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, estimates most U.S. factories are at 70 percent production. Many meatpacking companies have added physical barriers between workers and other COVID-19 protections.

I'm Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

positive – adj. showing the presence of a particular germ, condition, or substance

circumstance(s) – n. a condition or fact that affects a situation

vary – v. to be different or to become different

benefit(s) – n. something extra such as vacation time or health insurance that is given by an employer to workers in addition to their regular pay

access – n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone

vulnerable – adj. easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

plant(s) – n. a building or factory where something is made

turnover – n. the rate at which people leave a place or company and are replaced by others

exploit – v. to use someone or something in a way that helps you unfairly

comfortable – adj. not worried or troubled

1 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

2 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 migration   

n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙

参考例句：

• Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
• He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。

5 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

6 holders   

支持物( holder的名词复数 )； 持有者； （支票等）持有人； 支托（或握持）…之物

参考例句：

• Slaves were mercilessly ground down by slave holders. 奴隶受奴隶主的残酷压迫。
• It is recognition of compassion's part that leads the up-holders of capital punishment to accuse the abolitionists of sentimentality in being more sorry for the murderer than for his victim. 正是对怜悯的作用有了认识，才使得死刑的提倡者指控主张废除死刑的人感情用事，同情谋杀犯胜过同情受害者。

7 immigrated   

v.移入( immigrate的过去式和过去分词 )；移民

参考例句：

• He immigrated from Ulster in 1848. 他1848年从阿尔斯特移民到这里。 来自辞典例句
• Many Pakistanis have immigrated to Britain. 许多巴基斯坦人移居到了英国。 来自辞典例句

8 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

9 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

10 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

11 turnover   

n.人员流动率，人事变动率；营业额，成交量

参考例句：

• The store greatly reduced the prices to make a quick turnover.这家商店实行大减价以迅速周转资金。
• Our turnover actually increased last year.去年我们的营业额竟然增加了。

12 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。