President Trump’s executive order requiring meat processing plants to remain open despite numerous COVID-19 outbreaks in the factories could result in more people contracting the virus and possibly deaths.
Meat process plants have emerged as coronavirus hot spots as thousands of meatpacking plant employees across the country and 137 federal food inspectors have tested positive for the virus, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. To date, two federal inspectors have died after contracting the virus.
Nevertheless, President Trump issued an executive order April 28 prohibiting plants from closing.
“This administration seems more concerned with making good on its ‘reopening America’ slogan than protecting the health and safety of front-line workers and American consumers,” AFGE President Everett Kelley said. “Without enforceable protections for both front-line plant workers and federal food inspectors, the president’s action will result in more preventable exposures and possibly deaths.”
Federal food inspectors entering slaughterhouses and meat processing facilities lack basic protective equipment, including face masks and hand sanitizer, and social distancing is impossible since they must work nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with front-line plant employees, said Paula Schelling, acting president of AFGE Council 45, which represents 6,500 federal food inspectors nationwide.
“While the president’s order requiring plants to remain open is mandatory, compliance with the government’s safety guidelines is not,” Schelling said. “The health and safety of federal inspectors and plant workers is in the hands of an industry that the administration is now pressuring to stay open, no matter the costs.”
“Without protective equipment and testing of all workers, more employees will get sick and the safety of our food supply will be compromised. Proper actions are needed today, not months from now. This is a recipe for disaster,” he added.
For the latest news and information about the coronavirus, visit www.afge.org/coronavirus.
The Office of Personnel Management last week took a huge step toward aligning the locality pay maps for employees on the Federal Wage System and General Schedule.
Read More
With the election approaching Marcial Gomez talks about what’s on the line for TSA employees and his concerns about Project 2025.
Read More
Members of AFGE’s DEFCON Steering Group met along with AFGE staff and elected leaders to discuss ways to better serve employees throughout the DoD in the year ahead.
Read More
