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A message from League of United Latin American Citizens

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LULAC Responds To Trump Administration Declaring Meat Plants “Critical
Infrastructure” And Treating Essential Workers As Disposable
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Nation’s Oldest & Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Reacts to Reports of
Forthcoming Executive Order to Keep Meat Processing Facilities Open

Washington, DC - Today, Domingo Garcia, National President of the League of
United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), issued the following statement regarding
the safety and wellbeing of essential workers in the meatpacking industry, many
of whom are Hispanic.

LULAC President Domingo Garcia stated:

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump consistently showed American
workers that he puts profits over people. The news that the President will invoke
the Defense Production Act to secure the nation’s food supply, instead of
mandating OSHA to ensure meat processing plants are safe for workers, sends a
clear message about his administration’s priorities: corporate billionaires’
profits are more important than human lives.

Thousands of essential workers in meat processing plants are sick with COVID-19,
and many have died because of the Trump Administration, and the governors and
health officials where these plants are located, who failed to protect them
despite many calls for help. LULAC filed complaints with OSHA over three weeks
ago asking for the agency to enforce the safety of these essential workers, and
we’ve received no response to date. We’ve spoken to CEOs and union leaders to get
voluntary testing for all workers, but that still hasn’t occurred. As dozens of
plants are closing and workers like Saul Sanchez of Greeley, Colorado, are dying,
the Administration’s decision to force essential workers to risk their lives so
pork chops can keep coming to the White House is wrong and immoral.

To confront the gross negligence of the meat corporations and government
officials from both political parties, LULAC is calling for ‘Meatless May
Mondays.’ We are asking our community of 60 million members, and the entire
country, to stand with essential workers and not purchase or consume any meat
products once a week to highlight the need for protections for these workers.
Until the meat industry, federal and state governments protect the lives of
essential workers at all meat processing facilities in a federally mandated and
verifiable manner, LULAC will call for boycotts of meat products. We will demand
that all plants be closed for a least a week to disinfect, provide necessary PPE
and slow down kill lines to ensure employees’ safety.

LULAC is also calling on President Trump to use his executive power to grant
essential workers who need it immediate Temporary Protective Status (TPS) under
immigration law. This would allow them to be tested for COVID-19, have access to
healthcare and unemployment if sick, and not fear deportation. LULAC estimates 80
percent of the meat processing workforce is comprised of undocumented workers or
refugees.

All Americans should join in protecting the health and safety of workers at
America’s meat processing plants.”

In response to President Trump’s anticipated executive order to keep meat
processing plants open, LULAC is calling for the following:

* Slow meat processing lines so workers can socially distance by at least six
feet, per CDC guidelines, and breathe effectively in their PPE masks;

* Paid sick leave, so workers do not have to work while sick;

* Full healthcare coverage for all workers who fall ill, including
hospitalization, if needed;

* Testing all workers for COVID-19, even those who are asymptomatic;

* Grant all undocumented workers and refugees working at these facilities TPS
to secure their legal standing in the U.S.;

* Expand rest breaks and maintain hazard pay after May 30;

* Provide safety information in different languages for immigrant workers.

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and
oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans
and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000
councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and
advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of
today and the future. For more information, visit www.LULAC.org [ [link removed] ] .







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