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Maybe the Feds could start by having the FDA reinstate the safety measures they have gotten rid of over the past 3 years. Meat plants have been allowed to speed up their lines forcing workers to stand closer together. They have also been allowed to self inspect, a task expected of the line workers who sometimes are like Lucy and Ethel trying to keep up already.
Maybe they could use this in the meat-packing plant as an anthem!
These workers are likely minimum wage earners, and they have a family to support.
Are their lives cheaper or something? Like I said, if they want to work, we still need to figure out a way to keep them safe. Maybe handsanitizer everywhere, providing free face shield and masks for them, work short hours, and increase their pay by increase the price of meat. we all need to sacrifice a little. Gee, people.
If they don't want to work because they don't want to take unnecessary risks, then no one should force them to work.
The act may force ownership to try to stay open....
But I don't think there's going to be stormtroopers holding the employees there at gunpoint.
The Govt is to provide PPE to the Packing Facilities.
They are not even providing for their own ---GARBAGE full of lies.
VA Instructs Coronavirus-Exposed Staff to Continue Working, Places Those Who Don’t in AWOL Status
To date, more than 5,000 patients and 1,600 staff at VA facilities have tested positive for COVID-19;
The more sophisticated N95 masks that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deemed most effective in protecting workers from the virus are rarely seen anywhere in a VA medical center or clinic, according to every employee
Although the IRS is seeking to procure PPE such as masks and gloves, each IRS facility may not be able to initially procure the PPE for all employees immediately,†it said. “Employees are therefore required to bring personal face coverings for their nose and mouth area when they come to work.â€
Clearly, packing plants have become the next cruise ships in this health crises.
The difference is consumers choose to board cruise ships, for the fun (or whatever) but consumers don't have to work in a packing plant to get meat products for their own table. People have the luxury of purchasing various types of meat products, or not, and don't normally need them to live (there may be some medically based exceptions).
"Meatpacking plants have become incubators for the virus as employees work side-by-side in dangerous conditions. Twenty meatpacking and processing workers have died from coronavirus, and at least 6,500 have been affected, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
At least 22 plants processing meat from pork to chicken have closed at some point after clusters of employees tested positive for Covid-19, according to UFCW."
I am uncertain about this. As long as vegetable and grain products are available no one is going to starve. I don't see why it is necessary to force workers to expose themselves to unsafe conditions. And who is going to take on the legal liability the companies will now face, the US taxpayers? ... so people can have their ground chuck and pork butt and chicken Kiev?
... And packing plants are not closing permanently by any means. The companies have to manage their assets safely and still return some kind of revenue, they need cash flow so they will reopen as soon as possible anyway.
I might be persuaded otherwise with sound arguments but right now I am not seeing this as a completely valid use of the Defense Production Act.
As with everything these days, I’m sure there is more to the story. 6,500 workers being AFFECTED is completely different than being INFECTED.
Is this a ploy by Tyson for a huge government bailout? Is this a union ploy for hazard bonuses and more pay?
I worked at a chicken processing plant when I was younger. These places are going to really spread this.
1. its all refrigerated to keep the meat cold.
2. you work side by side with people. For example there is a machine that wraps the metal band around the plastic bag that whole chickens are sold in. The stations for the equipment were all within about 12 inches of each other. So 28 inches behind you is some person looking at your back and breathing on you.
3. in order to avoid carpal tunnel you switch jobs, and machines multiple times per day. Touching something still warm from the last person
4. Strict attendance policy, miss a shift because you are legit sick too much and you are let go. Go to your moms funeral? let go as you didnt give the 2 weeks notice for vacatino time. You only had a week once mom died.
5. The owners do not care about you or your safety. The ONLY reason theres a safety team is to avoid being sued.
6. yes they have a union. It sucked. Management basically could get whatever deal they wanted because they shipped in so many illegals....who were then made members of the union. After union dues, and buying the gear you had to wear (boots etc), during the first month....you made LESS then minimum wage at the time.
Basically these places will spread something like this like crazy due to the working conditions. I saw a lot of horrible things doing that, and it encouraged me to REALLY focus on my studies and software development work, I saw folks there who had worked their entire lives doing that. I never ever wanted to be one of them.
Seems odd that American milk and vegetable producers have to let their products get dumped and rot but Smithfield's, a Chinese owned business must be saved.
If the food supply is stopped society would break down. even a perceived shortage of food in the supply chain would cause unrest. this essential business must remain open.
there is no 'good' solution. only the least worse solution.
Fine. Then set up some kind of Service to America para-military organization. They get green cards, free health care, education, and other bennies just like soldiers. Because that's what you're doing to them - pressing them into hazardous service. Whether they volunteer to do it or not.
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