Meat Industry – Workers Should Walk Out If It Is Unsafe

There has been an outbreak of Coronavirus in six of Ireland’s meat plants. Rosderra Irish Meats in Tipperary is now testing all its 400 workers after admitting that over 100 were infected with the virus. Another meat plant in Westmeath closed for a day after four workers were infected.

The Irish meat industry is run by brutal owners whose main concern is profit. The beef industry is the largest in Europe and the bosses are determined to squeeze as much out of workers as they can.

Many of those employed are migrant workers who are on short term contracts. Some of the meat plants will try to keep them working – even when workers lives are under threat.

SIPTU has called for Personal Protective Equipment to be provided for these essential workers. But the workers also need regular testing for Covid-19 to stop its spread. Any worker who tests positive should be allowed to stay at home on full pay.

In the North, workers walked out of two meat plants – in Moy Park and ABP meats – to demand better safety.

Now is the time to do the same in the South. Workers health must come before bosses’ wealth.