On Factory Farm Workers
By: Parker Pillsbury
Tags: Ethics, Compassion, Factory Farming, Animals, Vegan

Image by Parker Pillsbury, source image by Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals

Undercover videos taken on factory farms showcase the potential humans have to act inhuman.

A two-minute video can feature more sheer violence than most viewers will witness in their entire lives. These videos contain image after image of workers kicking pigs, punching cows, and throwing chickens. The workers shout expletives at the scared and confused animals, dragging them to their slaughter. The cruelty of it all cannot be unseen.

Our first reaction to these videos is to condemn the workers for animal abuse. And why shouldn’t we? It’s clear what the workers are doing, it’s unequivocally wrong, and nonhuman animals who are forced to live their lives on factory farms deserve justice.

But we must remember that nonhuman animals aren’t the only ones who suffer injustice. Factory farm workers are victims, too.

The abuse committed by workers on nonhuman animals is not excusable. But it is important to remember that factory farming is a system built on oppression. It requires workers to oppress animals, and circumstances to oppress workers.

In the United States, many factory farm workers are undocumented immigrants who have either escaped violence in their home countries or are trying to find adequate work to provide for their families. They often speak little English, may have limited skills, and since they are deemed “illegal,” they have few opportunities. No one works on a factory farm because they have a passion for killing animals. Some people must take what they can get.

Factory farms will provide prospective workers with an employment opportunity, but it will come at a great cost. They will labor for long hours and make very little money. The expectation is that they will work continuously without breaks, which means workers will sometimes wear diapers to relieve themselves. The environment itself is hazardous; workers spend all day inhaling dirty air, and they are in constant contact with harmful bacteria.

Women workers can be subjected to sexual harassment and even rape by their superiors. Their undocumented status makes it impossible for them to report any acts committed against them. And since the nature of the job requires workers to rear and kill countless animals, many suffer from symptoms of trauma and PTSD.

There is no question that nonhuman animals suffer immensely on factory farms, but it’s not a competition; everyone suffers. We should not ignore or belittle the plight of factory farm workers. Factory farming is a threat to both animal and human rights.

The next time we see a video or read an article about animal abuse on factory farms, we should temper our anger towards the workers. They may be administrating the blows, but their fear is what moves them. Fear of deportation. Fear of unemployment. Fear of poverty. They act out of desperation, rarely malice.

It’s possible to both condemn the action of the person and empathize with their situation. Our compassion knows no bounds. Let’s create a better world for nonhuman animals and humans by refusing to consume animal products.

This essay was first published on Factory Farming Awareness Coalition’s website in 2017. This version was edited in 2020 to better reflect my current views and voice.