John,
In less than two months, dirty pork could be coming to a grocery store near
you – unless we stop it.
If the administration’s new rule is allowed to go into effect on Dec. 2,
USDA will almost entirely relinquish its role in ensuring food safety for
the American people. Slaughterhouse workers – not independent federal
inspectors – will be responsible for inspecting most of their own pork,
relying more heavily on chemicals to wash the meat and eliminate disease.
Heard enough? Click here or dial 833-394-7292 to connect with your member of Congress. Urge them to include House language halting the swine inspection rule in the final version of the Agriculture Appropriations bill (section 779).
Here’s what makes this new rule even worse: the new system doesn’t include
any training requirements for the meat company employees who will take over
inspection responsibilities. Instead, pork slaughterhouses will be
operating with 40 percent fewer federal inspectors, meaning potential job
losses for our members.
Our union worked with members of Congress to include a provision in the
House Agriculture Appropriations bill that would halt this dirty pork rule
until the inspector general has studied the undisclosed data and flawed
analysis used to create the new rule.
We must stop this rule from taking effect and protect the safety of our food. Click here or dial 833-394-7292 to call your members of Congress and urge them to include the House language halting the swine inspection rule in the final version of the Agriculture Appropriations bill (Section 779).
Adding to the miserable picture, the administration has also lifted the
line speed restrictions. That means slaughterhouses will be able crank up
the speed at which they process pork products, increasing profits and
raising safety concerns for workers and consumers alike.
Meat workers are already three times more likely to suffer serious injury
on the job, such as amputations and crushed fingers, than the average U.S.
worker. Now, they will have to work even faster with even less time to
inspect the meat. This increases pressure on the final federal inspector at
the end of the line who has only seconds to inspect the meat that will
eventually land on holiday dinner plates across the country.
So instead of Dashing Through the Snow this holiday season, Americans might
be Dashing Through… Salmonella? We can't let this happen!
Act now by clicking here or calling your member of Congress at 833-394-7292. Urge them to include the House language halting the swine inspection rule in the final version of the Agriculture Appropriations bill (Section 779).
In Solidarity,
AFGE
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