Pastor John Pitts, Interfaith Worker Justice Jose Salazar, Justice for Packing Workers Committee Tony Paris, Sugar Law Center.

DETROIT — On Monday, members of the Justice for Packing Workers Committee and their supporters described appalling conditions at a local fruit packing plant, including workers being forced to stay on the job during a hazardous chemical spill and a pregnant mother being denied access to the bathroom while suffering from morning sickness.

Representatives of a committee of current and former employees at Mastronardi Produce Inc. in Livonia told their stories outside the offices of the Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration before filing complaints with the State of Michigan.

Justice for Packing Workers members raised concerns about the treatment of workers, and practices that undermined the safety and quality of the food produced at the plant.

A member of the workers committee, Doris, explains:  “Often times they would make us put item stickers on peppers to hide moldy or rotten spots.  It was not only bad for us to deal with the mold but it has to be bad for the people buying Mastronardi’s food, like Trader Joe’s.”

Workers were often denied regular access to the restroom, leading to unsafe conditions.  Dora described an incident during her pregnancy where she was stricken with morning sickness.  Managers would not allow her to use the bathroom, forcing her to vomit into a trash can on the packing floor. 

Workers were also forced to stay on the packing line during a dangerous ammonia spill.  Some even passed out and were forced to pay for their own ambulance care.

 State Representative Rashida Tlaib explains, “When unscrupulous companies abuse their workers, they’ll often break other rules as well—like food safety.  The food that we eat should be safe, and the workers that produce the food should be treated with justice and respect. ”   

The current and former workers are demanding compensation for unpaid wages and improvements in working conditions through a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court.  The plant, located in Livonia, is operated by Mastronardi Fruit Packing, one of North America’s largest packing and greenhouse companies.  The company packs produce that is sold under grocers’ own company labels as well as their own “Sunset” brand.