On Feb. 17, the UFCW released a statement condemning the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) proposed rule that would increase line speeds in meatpacking plants, presenting a great harm to workers.
“UFCW members work tirelessly to feed America in meatpacking plants every single day,” said Mark Lauritsen, the director of the UFCW’s Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division in a statement. “Their work is difficult and often dangerous, but it is essential to helping families put food on the table. The Trump administration’s proposed rule endangers hard-working union and non-union workers alike, all in service to the bottom line of big meatpackers.”
“The USDA studies released just last year confirmed that increasing line speeds increases the risk of harm to workers in poultry and pork plants,” Lauritsen added. “This proposed rule ignores those studies and seemingly any consideration for worker safety. Workers in non-union plants, who don’t have walking stewards, safety committees or any contract protections, are especially vulnerable. Removing line speed limits and not having proper staffing opens the door to slower production due to injuries, which will do nothing to lower prices and could instead have the opposite effect.”
“Consumers aren’t safe either. Coupled with the administration’s attacks on food inspectors, increasing line speeds put our nation’s food safety in jeopardy. The safety of our food depends on the safety of the workers who process it.”
“Uncapping line speeds also raises the possibility of plant closures, which would throw hundreds of people out of work with each closure. Rural communities, where meatpacking plants are often local economic engines, would be especially impacted. Today’s move risks taking us back to the days of Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, where terrible working conditions in meatpacking plants left workers sick and injured at alarming rates. Meatpacking workers have fought for decades to bring our food supply chain to where it is today, and we will fight to ensure their safety on the job.”