The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) has issued a response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recent decision. The USDA announced it will instruct the Food Safety and Inspection Service to extend waivers that allow pork and poultry facilities to operate at higher line speeds.
Earlier this year, the USDA released studies indicating negative impacts of line speeds on workers in poultry and pork sectors. UFCW International President Marc Perrone commented, “Our members work tirelessly every day in America’s pork and poultry plants, helping families put food on the table. They know firsthand that these jobs are already physically demanding and high-risk. Extending these waivers without additional safety measures will only lead to more injuries, more workplace accidents, and a greater risk of food contamination.”
Perrone further emphasized the need for comprehensive safety measures: “We are again calling for a full range of safety measures to include additional staffing, improved reporting of workplace injuries, expanded access to early and adequate medical treatment, and job modifications that minimize ergonomic stressors.”
He also highlighted the connection between worker safety and food safety: “The safety of our food depends on the safety of the workers who process it. The decision to allow facilities to operate at higher speeds without any additional safety measures only puts workers and consumers at risk.”
The UFCW is recognized as the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers across various essential industries including meatpacking, food processing, grocery, health care, cannabis, retail, among others.
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