Pilgrim's reviews

Employees are NOT paid what they should be paid. Maintenance workers make on average $10.00 less than what other maintenance workers are paid in an industrial environment. The UNION got a contract in there a few years ago and they have done NOTHING to enhance the quality for anyone there. The only thing the UNION reps can say is "We have Union Plus Benefits." Well, ANYONE in a union has access to that. They are not pushing for better health benefits because the majority of the employees cheat the system and are on medicaid. There is nothing but drugs there. You walk out to the picnic tables and all you smell is marijuana. It is almost like every other car in the parking lot has someone in it at break time getting high. I honestly believe if you test positive on your pre employment drug screen you still have a job. The turnover is ridiculous. They have 2 orientation classes a week. One on days and one on nights. These classes average 15-20 people EACH. That is 30 to 40 people each week. Maybe if they offered a higher quality insurance at an affordable rate and paid more than 12-15 an hour to process chickens, they might actually start getting more dedicated workers. HR personnel are some of the rudest people I have ever met. They sit at their desks and if you walk in it's "What you need?" Not, how may I help you? or Is there anything I can do for you? Lord forbid you actually need HR to do something. NOBODY in the office knows how to do anything. Why even have an HR department if they NEVER have answers? All you will be told is, "I have to contact corporate and I will get back to you. Well, a week later and they still haven't contacted corporate. So you wait another week. Still nothing. You have to contact corporate yourself to get any answers. The HR office is more about a fashion show than actually doing work. They cafeteria is run by a vendor. The prices are ridiculously high. DO NOT get the fried chicken. The chicken legs look like small turkey legs because they are so big. OH. the vendor purchases the chicken from Pilgrim's and then sells it to the employees (supposedly cooked) at high price. Do not eat the chicken from the cafeteria. It is 95% undercooked and you will get sick. Speaking of sick. DO not catch Salmonella poisoning. In orientation, the videos they make you watch tell you if you catch it, STAY HOME DO NOT COME TO WORK. But if you do not go to work, you will accumulate points which can lead to your termination. EVEN if you have a doctor's note saying you have Salmonella and can provide documentation proving it. Referring to the cash and prizes in the PROS section, They had drawings for 5 and 10 thousand dollars They may still have it I don't know or care. If they can spend this kind of money on UNNECESSARY stuff (because you got a covid vaccine) Why can't they give everyone a pay raise??? They sell the "paws" or Chicken feet and make more money than God doing so. Yet, they refuse to pay people a livable wage. Speaking of the "paws" the system is rigged so that the paws pass inspection. I have seen on many occasions when they rn a quality check for the chicken feet, someone will stand in a certain area and push a button so that the test paws are rejected. USDA has no clue. I am sure the upper upper level management is oblivious to this. I worked there before in Maintenance. I left and went back. They started me at 3 dollars less an hour than I was making when I left the first time. Then they told me I had to prove what I was making when I was previously employed there. No, I had check stubs to prove it but I told them to check my previous check stubs which HR has access to to verify it Then I was told I would get a raise once my 60 day probation period was up. The maintenance techs, leads, and supervisors on 2nd shift are nowhere to be found once production begins for start up. They require maintenance to work 7 days a week. So if you get off at 4am on a saturday morning, they want you back in there between 8am and 10am on Saturday to perform your routine maintenance and PM work. Production workers make between 11 and 14 an hour. The Sumter location is the LOWEST paid plant Pilgrim's has in the USA. Employee handbook does not have all of the information concerning company policies and procedures. Yet, The handbook says to request a copy of these items. HR will never give you the requested information. All they will tell you is "Well, that is what the policy says." Ok, SHOW ME WHAT THE POLICY SAYS!! HR then responds with, Well, I have to contact corporate to get that information. OK> CONTACT CORPORATE, I WILL WAIT. HR says, Well, I can't do that. Well, the handbook says if I request it, you are supposed to give it to me.. GOOD LUCK