US Meat Workers Quit As Virus Ridden Plants Reopen

[jc456]

After some research I see they make about $11 to start and a senior meat packer might make about $18 per hour. No wonder why people don't live me working there. Man that's rotten pay for awful conditions. I wouldn't consider that if I were desperate.

don't apply. it's your right. what other job can they take that pays more?

 

[Meathead]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

How can they be forced to go to work when some aren't? Most are working. Thank those who are.

 

[Andylusion]

Anyone know how much a person gets paid in those meat packing places?

Depends on where the plant is located. Obviously a plant located in an expensive area, is going to pay more.

Depending on exactly what position, and location, the wages rage from $13/hour to $19/hour. Obviously jobs work the line crew, meaning where there is a product line, and you have to keep up with the everyone around you, pay more, than other crew that does non-essential jobs.

As a general rule, any job that can almost be done by trained monkeys, doesn't pay much.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

how is it unsafe. Meat packing plants have an HCCA in place that makes it one of the safest places on the planet to work. why are you always so fking confused?

Are you posting from that plant right now?

 

[Care4all]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

I understand the point you're making. It's a difficult situation we are in, so my question to you is, what do we do about food?

SunDevil can always go work there, and Bripat, jc456, andaronjim, etc.... can all go work there, and bring their wives and brothers to work there too! J/k

Likely, the plant will have to add safety measures, full testing weekly, and pay more for New hires.....

 

[Andylusion]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

I understand the point you're making. It's a difficult situation we are in, so my question to you is, what do we do about food?

SunDevil can always go work there, and Bripat, jc456, andaronjim, etc.... can all go work there, and bring their wives and brothers to work there too! J/k

Likely, the plant will have to add safety measures, full testing weekly, and pay more for New hires.....

That assumes there are any safety measures that will make a difference, given they already have tons of safety measures in place.

Now they might have to pay more for new hires, but likely not. There are tons of people that are willing to work for good pay like that. Especially given how many places are closed.

 

[OldLady]

I understand the point you're making. It's a difficult situation we are in, so my question to you is, what do we do about food?

why are they different from the staff's at grocery stores?

There would appear to be quite a bit of difference as we have not seen these rates of infections spread through grocery store staff as we have several of these meat processing plants.

Taz, the Tyson plant I was referring to has over a thousand workers. Individual grocery stores don't have that many workers--maybe two or three dozen tops working at any one time? As opposed to several hundred?

 

[Dana7360]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

Read the rest of this thread....note how the CRCs are all upset about people walking away from unsafe jobs.

They have some sick belief that these people have an obligation to put their lives at risk just so those republicans can have meat to eat.

It's disgusting but typical of the selfish and irresponsible republican people.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

They have some sick belief that these people have an obligation to put their lives at risk just so those republicans can have meat to eat.

When did all the non-Republicans stop eating meat?

 

[Lysistrata]

No plant should reopen unless all employees are given full PPE, and FEMA and OSHA officials are continuously on site making sure that safety protocols are established and followed at all times. It is the absolutely the responsibility of federal officials to make sure that this is done every day.

 

[L.K.Eder]

you can all relax. the trump administration has already outsourced animal control to private contractors. so at least new diseases will not spread to workers and consumers.

A new USDA rule gives pork producers more control. That could endanger consumers.

The USDA wants to "modernize" inspections of slaughterhouses. Critics say they’re letting the industry rule itself.

www.vox.com

 

[initforme]

$13 to $18 per hour is good pay? Ummmmm, no not really. That's pee poor pay. Poverty wage. Work your butt off so you can live in poverty.

 

[Lysistrata]

you can all relax. the trump administration has already outsourced animal control to private contractors. so at least new diseases will not spread to workers and consumers.

A new USDA rule gives pork producers more control. That could endanger consumers.

The USDA wants to "modernize" inspections of slaughterhouses. Critics say they’re letting the industry rule itself.

www.vox.com

This is par for the course. Let the foxes run the henhouses. Privatization of just about everything has been a disaster for this country.

 

[justoffal]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

There are dozens standing in line to replace them and the Overtime is limitless right now....not a problem. Those who quit for their safety are doing the right thing IMO... Those who are confident enough to step up and help the nation are also doing the right thing. Sorry....Uncle Karl isn't coming to dinner tonight buddy.....I know you dream of it but alas....Capitalism will always prevail.

JO

 

[justoffal]

$13 to $18 per hour is good pay? Ummmmm, no not really. That's pee poor pay. Poverty wage. Work your butt off so you can live in poverty.

$18 isn't bad for the Mason Dixon region.....cost of living is way down. They don't charge five thousand a month for an apartment like NYC does. Brother lives in Virginia and tells me that the local pork processing plant there is offering unlimited overtime pay right now......go figure.



JO

 

[justoffal]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

We just had an outbreak at a Tyson Foods plant in Portland. 37 confirmed cases so far, many from the immigrant community. These are the precautions Tyson has been using. It does not sound "virus laden" to me. Yet we have a cluster there, the first outside a nursing home. Because so many employees are immigrants living in the same communities at home, often in crowded conditions, it is certainly possible that they picked up the Virus at home, not in the plant. I don't know that for a fact, but it seems like a possibility to me. Full article attached.

To keep our essential team members safe, Tyson has instituted new measures that go beyond our longstanding sanitation processes and are aimed at keeping our team members healthy and safe. Team member temperatures are checked daily and protective facial coverings are required. Plants have been modified for social distancing, including workstation dividers and barriers in break rooms. Sanitation has been increased for frequently touched surfaces, such as doors and tables. Increased hand washing frequency has been encouraged. We also encourage team members to follow CDC guidelines at home as well as at work.

In March, Tyson relaxed its attendance policy to encourage people to stay home if they are sick. Team members already have health care coverage, but we waived co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles for doctor visits for COVID-19 testing and eliminated pre-approval or preauthorization steps. Co-pays for the use of telemedicine are also waived, and refill limits for 30-day prescriptions of maintenance medication have been relaxed. In addition, changes were made to our short-term disability program so that ill employees can receive 90 percent of their pay if out for more than the available sick leave days, preserving Maine’s unemployment benefits for those working at companies unable to offer short-term disability.

Tyson is committed to ensuring worker health and safety

Never before has the importance of people working in the food supply chain been more apparent than it is today, nor has it been more important to value their work and ensure their health and safety.

bangordailynews.com

Confirmed coronavirus cases spike to 37 at Tyson Foods facility in Portland

Maine health officials reported a spike of coronavirus cases at a Portland meat-processing plant on Tuesday that brought the total number of positive tests to 37, equaling nearly 10 percent of Tyson Foods’ full-time workforce there.

bangordailynews.com

Ten Percent! OMG>>>OMG>>>OMG ooooooooh....soooooo scary! Hellllllllp...someobody Hellllllp! Uncle Karl! Help me ...save me Uncle Karl!
Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp!

 

[Dana7360]

They have some sick belief that these people have an obligation to put their lives at risk just so those republicans can have meat to eat.

When did all the non-Republicans stop eating meat?

I don't see non republicans demanding that people be forced to do a job that runs a very good chance to get sick and die.

I don't see non republicans allowing those businesses to not make the modifications to make the plants safe.

I don't see any non republicans demanding legislation that takes away a person's right to sue an employer if that employer causes that person to be harmed or killed.

You don't see no one is saying that people have to stop eating meat.

I see many people, including myself, saying make the plants safe.

The employer can deduct the cost of the modifications off their taxes to lesson their tax liability. The employer can also use the depreciation of those new modifications as a tax deduction which will also decrease their tax liability.

Why aren't you advocating for safe working conditions and only looking at the most extreme aspect of this? I didn't think you were that much of an extremist.

I don't understand why you can't see that all I and many more are only advocating for making the work place safe for the workers. Which will prevent shutdowns. If the virus runs rampant again in those plants they will just have to shutdown again to clean and find new people to do those jobs which will not be easy and will be more expensive than making the modifications to make the work place safe.

 

[OldLady]

This is what I said would happen. People aren't going to put money before their life, the lives of their family and friends.

As I said, trump can't force them to go back to those plants. They're quitting, calling in sick or taking leaves of absence and I don't blame them.

It's stupid to force those plants to be open but not force the owners to make it safe for the workers.

If mcconnell and the republicans get their way and take away a worker's right to sue their employer there will be more people quitting those jobs. No one will accept being forced to work in conditions that have a high chance of them getting the virus but no way to sue the employer who caused them to get sick in the first place.

I will point out that it's unconstitutional to take away a person's right to sue.

All trump and the owners of those business need to do is make it safe for the workers but that would cost money and we all know those employers don't want to spend that money. Which is stupid because their actions are going to harm or even destroy the business. They can't have a business if they don't have the workers to do the jobs.

US meat workers are quitting as virus-ridden plants reopen

We just had an outbreak at a Tyson Foods plant in Portland. 37 confirmed cases so far, many from the immigrant community. These are the precautions Tyson has been using. It does not sound "virus laden" to me. Yet we have a cluster there, the first outside a nursing home. Because so many employees are immigrants living in the same communities at home, often in crowded conditions, it is certainly possible that they picked up the Virus at home, not in the plant. I don't know that for a fact, but it seems like a possibility to me. Full article attached.

To keep our essential team members safe, Tyson has instituted new measures that go beyond our longstanding sanitation processes and are aimed at keeping our team members healthy and safe. Team member temperatures are checked daily and protective facial coverings are required. Plants have been modified for social distancing, including workstation dividers and barriers in break rooms. Sanitation has been increased for frequently touched surfaces, such as doors and tables. Increased hand washing frequency has been encouraged. We also encourage team members to follow CDC guidelines at home as well as at work.

In March, Tyson relaxed its attendance policy to encourage people to stay home if they are sick. Team members already have health care coverage, but we waived co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles for doctor visits for COVID-19 testing and eliminated pre-approval or preauthorization steps. Co-pays for the use of telemedicine are also waived, and refill limits for 30-day prescriptions of maintenance medication have been relaxed. In addition, changes were made to our short-term disability program so that ill employees can receive 90 percent of their pay if out for more than the available sick leave days, preserving Maine’s unemployment benefits for those working at companies unable to offer short-term disability.

Tyson is committed to ensuring worker health and safety

Never before has the importance of people working in the food supply chain been more apparent than it is today, nor has it been more important to value their work and ensure their health and safety.

bangordailynews.com

Confirmed coronavirus cases spike to 37 at Tyson Foods facility in Portland

Maine health officials reported a spike of coronavirus cases at a Portland meat-processing plant on Tuesday that brought the total number of positive tests to 37, equaling nearly 10 percent of Tyson Foods’ full-time workforce there.

bangordailynews.com

Ten Percent! OMG>>>OMG>>>OMG ooooooooh....soooooo scary! Hellllllllp...someobody Hellllllp! Uncle Karl! Help me ...save me Uncle Karl!
Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp!

What is THAT all about?

I am not only not scared, I am wondering if with all the safety precautions in place, if some of them caught the Virus somewhere else. Portland, where they work and live is Ground Zero of our biggest hotspot in the state. Half our cases are in that county alone.

I'm sorry it happened, sure. There will be more infections reported by the end of the week from this plant. Hopefully they will all be alright. We are just beginning to reopen, baby steps, most things that were closed remain closed. Big numbers of new cases could affect that. And of course, I'm sorry for the probably four dozen or more people who are now sick, all from working in that plant....at least some of them no doubt caught it there, from coworkers.

 

[22lcidw]

you can all relax. the trump administration has already outsourced animal control to private contractors. so at least new diseases will not spread to workers and consumers.

A new USDA rule gives pork producers more control. That could endanger consumers.

The USDA wants to "modernize" inspections of slaughterhouses. Critics say they’re letting the industry rule itself.

www.vox.com

This is par for the course. Let the foxes run the henhouses. Privatization of just about everything has been a disaster for this country.

Maybe you should dredge up some old Soviet Union videos. The people on the streets with very few smiling and the stores with a lot of empty stalls. I can't tell you what perfection is. I can tell you there are a lot of people "skating" in our nation. It is easier to work tearing down freedoms and getting "paid" for it. We have a lot of people to pay off. Don't worry. After this is over the monopoly and government workers will get their discounts from the auto companies and hotels and other places while the men and women who have persevered in the food and product industry of all types will get none of that.

 

[L.K.Eder]

you can all relax. the trump administration has already outsourced animal control to private contractors. so at least new diseases will not spread to workers and consumers.

A new USDA rule gives pork producers more control. That could endanger consumers.

The USDA wants to "modernize" inspections of slaughterhouses. Critics say they’re letting the industry rule itself.

www.vox.com

This is par for the course. Let the foxes run the henhouses. Privatization of just about everything has been a disaster for this country.

Maybe you should dredge up some old Soviet Union videos. The people on the streets with very few smiling and the stores with a lot of empty stalls. I can't tell you what perfection is. I can tell you there are a lot of people "skating" in our nation. It is easier to work tearing down freedoms and getting "paid" for it. We have a lot of people to pay off. Don't worry. After this is over the monopoly and government workers will get their discounts from the auto companies and hotels and other places while the men and women who have persevered in the food and product industry of all types will get none of that.

whargarrbl