Last week, President Trump signed the Defense Production Act to help get meat processing back up and running in the United States. The slowdowns and shutdowns of these packers is causing a logjam of animals that need to be processed, especially hogs. Senator Chuck Grassley said it is up to the processors to make their employees feel safe to return.
Senator Grassley said the goal of President Trump is not to strong-arm employees to get back to work. Grassley says it is to tell large packing companies they need to make it safe for their employees. Wages and incentives are not enough if people do not feel safe.
Grassley highlighted a few of the measures that need to be taken to ensure worker safety.
Grassley said the latest update he received was that packers are operating at fifty percent. He says we need to get that number back up as soon as safely possible.
Smithfield has reopened their Sioux Falls, SD plant as of Monday, with COVID-19 tests available for workers to take.
