1/7
It's been well over 100 yrs since Upton Sinclair wrote “The Jungle,” his seminal piece on the horrors of the meatpacking industry. His work sparked changes, but many things remain the same: meatpacking is poorly paid and is the most dangerous job in the country.
It's been well over 100 yrs since Upton Sinclair wrote “The Jungle,” his seminal piece on the horrors of the meatpacking industry. His work sparked changes, but many things remain the same: meatpacking is poorly paid and is the most dangerous job in the country.
2/7
On 4/28, Trump signed an executive order compelling meat processors to stay open to avert food shortages. These plants require workers to stand close to each other & suffer more days lost to injury than ANY other industry in the U.S. Are they essential? That's unclear.
On 4/28, Trump signed an executive order compelling meat processors to stay open to avert food shortages. These plants require workers to stand close to each other & suffer more days lost to injury than ANY other industry in the U.S. Are they essential? That's unclear.
3/7
The avg. American consumes nearly 218 lbs. of meat a yr. The Defense Production Act is supposed to maintain industries in times of crisis to provide essential items. It also shields employers from liability for forcing workers to operate in increasingly hazardous conditions.
The avg. American consumes nearly 218 lbs. of meat a yr. The Defense Production Act is supposed to maintain industries in times of crisis to provide essential items. It also shields employers from liability for forcing workers to operate in increasingly hazardous conditions.
4/7
14,000 meatpackers have tested positive for COVID-19 & 59 have died. The avg. meatpacker earns $13.68 hr, or $28k/yr so, for an industry w/ serious safety & health hazards, having Trump order you to stay open is not only convenient, it’s profitable.
14,000 meatpackers have tested positive for COVID-19 & 59 have died. The avg. meatpacker earns $13.68 hr, or $28k/yr so, for an industry w/ serious safety & health hazards, having Trump order you to stay open is not only convenient, it’s profitable.
5/7
Coronavirus has made America's most dangerous job more dangerous. We are now—by Presidential edict—putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk in meat processing factories that have already been hotbeds for the spread of the virus.
Coronavirus has made America's most dangerous job more dangerous. We are now—by Presidential edict—putting hundreds of thousands of people at risk in meat processing factories that have already been hotbeds for the spread of the virus.
6/7
Some plants are taking steps to stop the spread by requiring masks & taking workers’ temps, but w/o protective equipment—a shortage the Defense Production Act could have actually addressed—more meatpackers will get sick. More meatpackers will die.
Some plants are taking steps to stop the spread by requiring masks & taking workers’ temps, but w/o protective equipment—a shortage the Defense Production Act could have actually addressed—more meatpackers will get sick. More meatpackers will die.
7/7
I eat meat & I'm certainly not here to tell you what to eat. But let's make sure that if we allow our government to make decisions on our behalf during this crisis, we make the safety of essential workers the first priority.
I eat meat & I'm certainly not here to tell you what to eat. But let's make sure that if we allow our government to make decisions on our behalf during this crisis, we make the safety of essential workers the first priority.
