As meatpacking plants reopen, workers terrified of coronavirus risk
The number of meatpacking workers dying from the coronavirus is still rising, and employees across the country are scared to come to work.
The latest Agriculture Department figures show that U.S. meat production is returning to nearly last year's capacity, accomplishing the White House's goal of keeping the food supply steady during the pandemic.
But while slaughter lines may be up and running, lawmakers, employees and labor leaders say the federal government is failing to protect workers' safety, and they warn that death tolls will continue to rise unless the federal government expands its safety authority over the operations of the country's meatpackers.
At least 44 meatpacking workers have died from the virus and more than 3,000 have tested positive, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. About 30 plants have closed in the past two months, affecting more than 45,000 workers.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/as-meatpacking-plants-reopen-workers-terrified-of-coronavirus-risk/ar-BB14UlS6
