(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its plans to permanently allow U.S. Poultry and Pork Processing Plants to operate more quickly, which Labor Unions say will increase the risk of serious harm to Workers.

Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union-United Food & Commercial Workers (RWDSU-UFCW) President Stuart Appelbaum issued the following statement: “Increased line speeds will hurt Workers. It’s not a maybe, it’s a definite - and increased production speeds will jeopardize the health and safety of every American that eats chicken. (The) announcement by the USDA echoes the same lack of consideration they had for our essential Food Processing Workers during the first Trump Administration and it will put us all at risk. We rely on the thousands of Workers to safely produce the food on our tables every single day. They can’t do that safely at these speeds. We learned that lesson the hard way just five short years ago. Let’s not irreparably (injure) Workers to learn what we already know. Worker safety must be a priority and these facilities cannot operate at these speeds without increased staffing, which cannot happen the way they are constructed now. Issuing waivers to a multi-billion dollar industry with no oversight to ensure it’s done safely and properly is a recipe for disaster. The USDA must make worker safety a priority, not profits.”

Earlier this year, the USDA released two studies that showed the adverse impact of line speeds on Poultry And Pork Workers. 

UFCW International President Marc Perrone - whose Union he heads represents 1.2 million Workers in Meatpacking, Food Processing, Grocery, Retail and other essential industries across North America, released the following statement: “Our Members work tirelessly every day in America’s Pork and Poultry Plants, helping families put food on the table. They know first-hand that these jobs are already physically demanding and high-risk. Extending these waivers without additional safety measures will only lead to more injuries, more workplace accidents and a greater risk of food contamination. We are again calling for a full range of safety measures to include additional staffing, improved reporting of workplace injuries, expanded access to early and adequate medical treatment, and job modifications that minimize ergonomic stressors. The safety of our food depends on the safety of the Workers who process it. The decision to allow facilities to operate at higher speeds without any additional safety measures only puts Workers and consumers at risk.”

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Trump administration aims to make faster meat processing permanent | Reuters