Protecting Meat Plant Workers Without Disrupting the Supply Chain During COVID-19

He notes that even if ample risk mitigation measures are recommended by corporate, it’s up to a plant’s manager to balance those with what needs to happen to meet target production rates. To ensure that companies are prioritizing worker health as much as profits, U.S. Senator Cory Booker recently introduced a bill that would limit increase of line speeds at meat plants during the pandemic.

“There are also a lot of companies that haven’t gotten rid of their point system,” adds Oliva. “So, it may be corporate policy to stay home if you feel sick, but missing work could also lead to a point against you. It’s a mixed message for workers who have to choose between an income and the public health.”

Ultimately, until there is no mandated standard to implement CDC guidelines, workers will be at the mercy of their individual plant’s management. “In the HEROES (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions) Act, which was passed in the House and has stalled in the Senate, there’s some very clear language around how OSHA should be implementing CDC guidelines in these facilities,” Oliva says. “If passed, it would literally take care of 90% of the problems.”

In a recent statement, Marc Perrone, president of United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents the more than 250,000 meatpacking and food processing workers, wrote, “If we truly care about protecting workers and our nation’s food supply during this pandemic, the federal government must take action, beginning with an enforceable national safety standard, increased access to PPE and COVID-19 testing, and rigorous proactive inspections.”—AM