Workers Sue National Beef Over Wages

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – A southwestern Kansas packing plant is being sued by workers alleging they’re short-changed on wages and overtime pay.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in U.S. District on behalf of 2,000 workers at National Beef Packing Co.’s plant in Liberal.

It challenges the practice of paying hourly meat-processing workers based on so-called "gang time," which pays only for the time the production line is running. The suit seeks class-action status.

National Beef did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday.

Similar lawsuits were filed last year against Creekstone Farms Premium Beef in Arkansas (ahr-KAN’-zuhs) City, Kan., and last month against the Farmland Foods slaughterhouse in Monmouth, Ill.

All three lawsuits were filed by attorney Mark Kistler, of Overland Park, Kan. Kistler says such wage practices are pervasive in the meatpacking industry.