Local struggles over there-regulation of migrant labour in the German meat industry

The German meat industry has long been criticized for its reliance on precarious employment arrangements and related substandard working conditions for migrant workers. In response to COVID-19 outbreaks in several meat plants, the German government introduced the Occupational Safety Control Act (OSCA) in 2020, aiming to improve employment conditions and worker protections by banning subcontracting and temporary agency work in the industry’s core areas.This working paper examines the impact the OSCA had on migrant workers’ working conditions. 

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How to cite: Gottlieb N, Niediek L. (2026). Local struggles over the re-regulation of migrant labour in the German meat industry. DignityFIRM. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.18504193