Meatpacking union calls for protections, concerned about food supply

Some plants have increased line speeds amid the pandemic.

WORKERS AT FOODPROCESSING PLANTSHELD A NATIONALNEWS CONFERENCETODAY AND PAINTED AMUCH DIFFERENTPICTURE.THE UNITED FOODAND COMMERCIALWORKERSINTERNATIONAL ISAMERICA'S LARGESTMEATPACKING ANDFOOD PROCESSINGUNION.THE GROUP CALLEDFOR SAFETY ACTIONSTO BE TAKEN...SAYING THEREHAVEN'T BEENENOUGH CHANGES TOPROTECT WORKERS3 NEWS NOWINVESTIGATOR JEFFVAN SANT HAS MORE.COVID-19 AFFECTSEVERYTHING OURLIVES BUSINESS OURVERY FOOD SUPPLY..THE VIRUS IS HITTINGOUR MEAT ANDPROCESSING PLANTSHARD ..20:24:30 THESE ARENOT NORMAL DAYS..EVERY DAY WEWORRY ABOUT THISVIRUS..RHONDA TREVINOWORKS FOR CARGILLIN TEXAS..20:27:30 WE ARE ONTHE FRONT LINES..EVERYONE IN THEPLANT ARE NERVOUSAND HAVE ANXIETYGOING TO WORKEVERY DAY THATANXIETY IS FELTACROSS THEINDUSTRY..20:14:33 EVERY STATETHEY HAVE BEENDEEMED ASESSENTIALWORKERS..BUT THEY HAVEN'TBEEN GIVEN THEESSENTIALPROTECTIONS THATTHEY SODESPERATELY NEEDMARC PERRONE ISPRESIDENT OF UNITEDFOOD ANDCOMMERCIALWORKERSINTERNATIONAL UNIONREPRESENTING 1.3MILLION WORKERS INOUR NATIONS FOODSUPPLY..HE SAYS FEDERAL ANDLOCAL OFFICIALSNEED TO STEPUPTHEIR GAME..IN PROVIDINGPROTECTION..LIKE MORE TESTINGFOR COVID-19..SUPPLY PPE ..AND CREATE BETTERSAFETY GUIDELINES..20:16:41 UNLESSIMMEDIATE CHANGESARE MADE..AMERICAS FOODPROCESSING ANDMEAT PACKINGWORKERS ARE INDANGER..AND SO IS AMERICASFOOD SUPPLY WE'VESEEN CLOSURESRIGHT HERE IN OURBACKYARD AT PLANTSIN NEBRASKA SOUTHDAKOTA AND IOWASINCE PANIC BUYINGTOOK OFF THE USDAHAVE GIVEN PLANTSCALLS "LINE SPEEDWAIVERS "TOINCREASEPRODUCTION..UFCW SAYS THATPUTS WORKERS ATRISK..20:41:44 THATS WHYITS IMPORTANT FORTHE USDA STOPSGIVING OUT THESEWAIVERS DURING THISTIME..THEY GAVE OUT MORETHIS MONTH THENTHEY GAVE OUT ALLOF 2019..AND AS THIS VIRUSTIME..AND AS THIS VIRUSCONTINUES..EFFECTING SO MANYPLANTS MEATSHORTAGES COULDBE INEVITABLE.21:04:48 IT WILL INFACT CREATE SOMESHORTAGES IN THESTORES..I DONT THINK THERESANY DOUBT ABOUT IT..THE UFCW IS