How The Pandemic Impacted The Meatpacking Industry

Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Tony Corbo.

President Donald Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act on one industry saying it is essential that it remain open – and that is meatpacking. There have been more than 4,000 Covid-19 infections among meat-packing workers, with at least 18 documented deaths.

This has led to employees of companies like Tyson, JBS, and Smithfield feeling reluctant about returning to work for fear of infection and death.

But the industry still fails to offer its workforce paid sick leave and is even blaming workers for the infections.

Black and brown communities are disproportionately represented in the industry: 44% of meatpackers are Latino and 25% are black.

Tony Corbo, Senior Government Affairs Representative with Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action.

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