{"id":62805,"date":"2025-09-18T12:05:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-18T16:05:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/?post_type=press_releases&p=62805"},"modified":"2025-09-18T12:05:25","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T16:05:25","slug":"new-report-sheds-light-on-pitfalls-of-h-2b-visa-program-in-meatpacking","status":"publish","type":"press_releases","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/press-releases\/new-report-sheds-light-on-pitfalls-of-h-2b-visa-program-in-meatpacking\/","title":{"rendered":"New Report Sheds Light on Pitfalls of H-2B Visa Program in Meatpacking"},"content":{"rendered":"
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WASHINGTON, D.C.<\/strong> \u2013 The <\/a>United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW)<\/a><\/u><\/strong>, which represents 1.2 million essential workers in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, retail, and other essential industries, released the following statement regarding a new report<\/a> from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) on the H-2B visa program. The report demonstrates that the H-2B system has become deeply flawed and has led to depressed wages, wage theft, and other workforce issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Mark Lauritsen, who is the director of the UFCW\u2019s Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division, <\/strong>released the following statement:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cAs the union representing thousands of meatpacking workers across the country, the findings in EPI\u2019s report are alarming. Expanding the use of the H-2B program in the meatpacking industry would drive down wages and working conditions in a sector that provides good, solid jobs in communities across the country, particularly in rural areas. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cUnionized meatpacking plants offer strong wages and benefits that allow workers to take home more money for their families and spend it in their communities. These plants are the economic engine for many local economies. Turning these steady jobs into temporary ones through H-2B would be devastating for states that rely heavily on this industry, like Pennsylvania, Kansas, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, and many more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cMeatpacking jobs, and the workers, families, and communities who rely on them, should be protected and invested in, not threatened by expanding failed policies.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n

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KEY FINDINGS<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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