Dear John,
|
Demand workers’ health and safety be a priority over Big Ag profits!
|
The Trump administration rushed to gut as many protections for people as it could on the way out the door -- including one for meat plant workers. Take action now.
Trump granted dozens of poultry plants permission to increase slaughter line speeds to boost production -- including during the pandemic. When slaughter lines move even faster, it makes it even harder for workers to physically distance, increasing the spread of COVID-19. Fast line speeds also increase worker injuries, threaten food safety and put animals at greater risk of inhumane slaughter.
Trump put Big Ag profits over the people who make our food system run. Now, we need your help to undo the damage he did.
Demand President Biden slow slaughter line speeds to protect essential workers from the continued pandemic.
Workers in slaughterhouses are already packed in cramped conditions. Many are so large that thousands of workers are cramped together in tight quarters for eight or more hours a day. More than 50,000 meat plant workers have gotten COVID-19, and hundreds have died.
Since the Trump administration granted chicken plants permission to increase line speeds, this has gotten even worse. Employees at plants where line speeds increased are 10 times more likely to have coronavirus cases, compared to plants that did not increase line speeds.
But the line speeds continue to increase, faster and faster, solely to increase profits for factory farms. Companies like Smithfield and Tyson should be held accountable for their failure to protect their workers. But instead, they are doing the opposite --exposing their workers to even more safety hazards with blessings from Donald Trump.
Tell President Biden to protect people over big corporations and slow the spread of the pandemic.
Employees in meatpacking plants are elbow to elbow, with only plastic sheeting as protection -- which the CDC has said should not be used to replace social distancing. Yet the employees have to keep close to keep up with the rapid new pace.
President Biden has opposed line speed increases and has already moved to withdraw a pending Trump proposal to make them even faster. But now he needs to permanently slow the slaughter lines down. With the COVID-19 virus still spreading in plants, there is no time to waste. John, can we count on you to urge President Biden to slow meat processing plant line speeds?
Send a message to President Biden: Prioritize workers, not Big Ag profits.
Standing with you,
Chloe Waterman,
Climate-friendly food campaign program manager,
Friends of the Earth
