Posts Categorized: Health & Safety

On Sept. 3, the UFCW, along with Senator Cory Booker (N.J.) and Representative Marcia Fudge (Ohio), announced their opposition to a proposed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulation that increases line speeds in poultry plants across America.  Current line speeds are about 140 birds per minute and the proposed regulation allows plants to operate at up to 175 birds per minute.

In 2017, the USDA considered a petition from the National Chicken Council to eliminate line speed limits. That effort was ultimately rejected after an outpouring of opposition from workers and consumers. Since then, the USDA has continued to approve record numbers of waivers to allow individual plants to operate at dangerously fast speeds despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UFCW has been a leading national voice for strengthening safeguards in these plants, which have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and our union and Public Citizen recently filed a lawsuit to stop this dangerous practice and prevent further line speed waivers in the poultry industry.

Senator Booker, along with Representative Fudge, introduced “The Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act” to ensure that USDA protects worker safety by ending this practice.

“Fast line speeds worsen already unsafe conditions on slaughter lines and make it nearly impossible for workers to socially distance,” said Representative Fudge. “In fact, nearly all of the poultry plants that the USDA allowed to operate faster line speeds this spring have been cited for worker safety violations or experienced COVID outbreaks. In the middle of a pandemic, the USDA should be prioritizing worker safety.  Congress must act now and pass my Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act to block the USDA from increasing poultry line speeds and putting the health and safety of the meatpacking workforce at greater risk.”

“Despite a surge of COVID-19 outbreaks in meatpacking plants across the country, the USDA continued to grant line speed request waivers that threatened the health and safety of workers, their families, and consumers,” said Senator Booker. “The USDA has now proposed to permanently increase line speeds in poultry plants—an action that is both dangerous and irresponsible. Now is the time, more than ever, that we pass the Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act and protect workers and communities from the harm of these reckless giveaways to corporate agribusiness.”  

“The hard-working men and women of America’s poultry industry deserve safe workplaces,” said UFCW International President Marc Perrone. “As our country’s poultry workers have been battling a pandemic, they should not have to also battle USDA seeking to make their workplaces less safe. Slower line speeds keep workers safer from injuries and ensure safe social distancing to stop the spread of coronavirus. The USDA must end its reckless efforts to increase line speeds, and instead put the safety of America’s workers and food supply first.”

Members of UFCW Local 770 who work at Overhill Farms in Vernon, Calif., are leading the effort to make their workplace safer during this pandemic.

Members at the two food processing plants formed a COVID-19 Safety Committee to address and find solutions to workplace safety concerns about protecting workers from contracting the coronavirus. The committee was formed in July, and the 200 members now have gained the authority to implement safety and health precautions, including stopping the line during a shift if they see safety and health violations.

The COVID-19 Safety Committee members will ensure that everyone entering the two Overhill Farms food processing plants follow health and safety measures, such as social distancing throughout the worksite, including in the parking lot, restrooms, at the time clock, walking to their lines and even at their workstation. They will also monitor compliance regarding hand washing and appropriate personal protective equipment.

“We’ve won improved protocols and we have established a reporting process to make sure that everyone in the plant is safe. The COVID-19 committee gives us the authority to refuse to start the lines until all the health and safety measures are in place,” said Gloria Lopez, a weight checker at Plant 1.

“We must ensure that our members at Overhill Farms are healthy and the company abides by all public health measures,” said UFCW 770 Packinghouse Division Union Representative Armando Espinoza. “Food processing workers know the operations of their plants. They know how to make them safe. With health and safety committees based at their workplaces, essential workers can ensure that their voice and knowledge are part of the safety protocol. This committee will help protect the workers and local communities.”

Overhill Farms employees produce frozen food items such as plated meals, soups, pastas, sauces and other specialties. These workers ratified a strong contract in 2019 and the COVID-19 committee is a separate extension of that agreement in the contract. Overhill Farms is owned by CPF, a Thailand based conglomerate.