FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2022

Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259

STATEMENT ON THE REPORT BY THE HOUSE'S SELECT SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

“The RWDSU demanded early on in the pandemic that poultry and meat processing companies do a better job in protecting their workers. We swiftly condemned the utilization of the Defense Production Act. 

“As we said then, we only wish that the Trump Administration cared as much about the lives of working people as it did about meat, pork and poultry products, when we wanted poultry plants to shut down for deep cleaning and to save worker’s lives. If the Trump Administration had developed meaningful safety requirements for workers early on as they should have, this would not have even become an issue. We demanded that employers and government do better throughout the pandemic; and that saved lives. These employers must be held accountable for the consequences of their blatant disregard of the safety and lives of their employees. 

“Today's report is just one step towards accountability, but much more must be done to prevent corporations from putting profits over people's lives in the industry,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

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 The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.