topic Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks in Community Chat

Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

KingstonsMom — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:06:36 GMT

A Tyson Foods chicken-processing plant in North Carolina has reported that 25.4 percent of its employees (600 employees) have tested positive for coronavirus

The plant had been temporarily closed for deep cleaning and reopened.It comes as unions voice fears that safety measures in food processing plants are not enforceable

Meat processing plants have been hit hard by coronavirus outbreak.More than 14,000 workers have been infected with at least 54 deaths

Employees in a Tyson plant in Texas were tested last week but are working as they await their results even after the death of a forklift operator.

They claim that people are being asked to leave the factory as their positive results return

A Kraft Heinz plant in Missouri reported a new outbreak this week

The facility is the sole producer of Oscar-Mayer bologna in the U.S.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

KingstonsMom — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:10:42 GMT

IMO this means that we can expect further meat shortages, so prepare while you can is my train of thought.

Not suggesting hoarding, but prepare for shortages for your family's needs.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

spiderw — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:28:38 GMT

I find this outrageous, irresponsible and reckless. I would hold these owners accountable and penalize them. If you have such outbreaks in these plants, you need to face the music and do something to ensure safety and health for your workers. NO ONE has the right to put anyone's health in jeopardy and that is what this is doing. I am truly sorry for the workers and their families and what they face with these companies. It says volumes and I will leave it at that.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Mominohio — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:29:56 GMT

I agree that this kind of thing is most likely going to go on for up to another year.

I think by now, people would be looking at what we have been through, be planning what they need and what they can live without, and begin stocking accordingly.

I know I'm glad I had a fully stocked house before this even hit. Even at that, I had a few areas I had neglected, and have been getting those taken care of.

I just don't see a real end to this, but a more fluid 'what is short in supply today' kind of reality for quite awhile yet.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Pook — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:31:58 GMT

@spiderw The government ordered these plants to open and remain so with no direction as to how to really protect workers and also as a result is protecting companies from being held liable for any deaths due to Covid deaths!! Workers were working in less than acceptable conditions before this with in many cases no routine inspections being made on a schedule so now things will only get worse!!!

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

jeanlake — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:12:17 GMT

I rarely eat meat, but my family is getting weary of fish. Beginning to run out of meat from the freezer but hesitant to purchase new meat. Am I alone here?

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

catmama — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:19:22 GMT

I am doing a personal boycott of Smithfield, Tyson and JBS products. You can go online and see what products each company produces. Those companies and others in the food processing business need to step up and do a better job of protecting their workers and the states those processing plants are in need to count the number of cases involved and demand a better accounting.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

goldensrbest — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:23:41 GMT

The order to stay open,came from the top.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Foxxee — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:30:18 GMT

Would like to know how many of those infected are asymptomatic vs those who would call in sick because they had symptoms.

There could be enough employees calling in sick to cause a serious worker shortage. That happens during heavy flu seasons when a lot of people don't get the vaccine.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

PamfromCT — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:34:37 GMT

These conditions remind me of how things were for workers so many, many years ago. Ruthless people ran businesses that took advantage of workers desperate for pay. Very bad and very long working conditions. And there was a horrific event, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, that tipped the scales and began the modern labor movement. So many of the workers in these plants today are desperate for money to feed their families, often living in areas where they cannot find suitable alternative employment. So, they are treated as cattle themselves, with no regard for them. And no regard for the consumer, I will add. I have never eaten much meat, and I will be now eating alternative sources of protein.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Pook — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:37:13 GMT

@Foxxee There is no way of knowing since only those with symptoms or those in direct contact with those sick are tested. All employees should be tested at least twice a week if not daily even if no symptoms in order to control that spread in such close quarters.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Sheila P-Burg — Thu, 21 May 2020 17:43:48 GMT

The Dole Fresh Vegetable Packaging Plant in Ohio just announced an "outbreak" in the plant. So far 20 employees are confirmed and 8 "persons in contact" confirmed.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

suzyQ3 — Thu, 21 May 2020 18:22:23 GMT

@PamfromCT wrote:
These conditions remind me of how things were for workers so many, many years ago. Ruthless people ran businesses that took advantage of workers desperate for pay. Very bad and very long working conditions. And there was a horrific event, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, that tipped the scales and began the modern labor movement. So many of the workers in these plants today are desperate for money to feed their families, often living in areas where they cannot find suitable alternative employment. So, they are treated as cattle themselves, with no regard for them. And no regard for the consumer, I will add. I have never eaten much meat, and I will be now eating alternative sources of protein.

@PamfromCT, there are times when I do truly wish I could speak unfettered.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Porcelain — Thu, 21 May 2020 18:58:36 GMT

Coming soon to a workplace near you...Everyone saw this coming. Besides the obvious and basic human rights issues, when a company treats their employees with disrespect and puts them in danger, it's only a matter of time until they treat their customers the same way.

It's like when you go on a first date and the guy yells at the waitress--just a matter of time before he'd feel justified in yelling at you too. How you treat people who can't fight back says a lot about you. Same with places of business. Good reason to avoid the nasty ones.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

dex — Thu, 21 May 2020 19:35:03 GMT

@jeanlake @We are but just cook it well and wash your hands of course.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

SandySparkles — Thu, 21 May 2020 19:51:50 GMT

Every large scale industry such as these are going to have outbreaks for some time to come, by design-it's inevitable. What is evitable, is negligence in how some of them maintain their facilities, and disregard for the safety of their workers, as they are under intense pressure to produce.

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

spiderw — Thu, 21 May 2020 20:54:48 GMT

Pook

Thank you for your post reminding me of where the orders came from. What you said is very well stated and factual. It is also another reason for me to continue to pray for change.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

Caligurll — Thu, 21 May 2020 21:03:03 GMT

@spiderw wrote:
Pook

Thank you for your post reminding me of where the orders came from. What you said is very well stated and factual. It is also another reason for me to continue to pray for change.

Ditto, ditto, and ditto, to the above.

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

sunshine 919 — Thu, 21 May 2020 21:06:53 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
IMO this means that we can expect further meat shortages, so prepare while you can is my train of thought.

Not suggesting hoarding, but prepare for shortages for your family's needs.

They never stopped testing positive yet they reopened anyway. I am going to do more recipes with out meat. I think it is a shame the plants stay open. Government should send stimulus money to bail these meat packers out. I know a lot of people work in thses places but they are not safe and no ones seems to care who have the authority

Re: Food Processing Plants Still Have Covid Outbreaks

sunshine 919 — Thu, 21 May 2020 21:09:42 GMT

@jeanlake wrote:
I rarely eat meat, but my family is getting weary of fish. Beginning to run out of meat from the freezer but hesitant to purchase new meat. Am I alone here?

No you are not. I am seriously thinking of boycotting. The workers are not safe.