COVID crisis intensifies meat plant worker protection fight

摘要

The Agriculture Department yesterday charged that progressives were trying to take advantage of the COVID-19crisis by calling on the government to mandate slower slaughter lines at meatpacking plants.USDA's food inspection office vehemently pushed back against a recent Center for Progressive Reform report,claiming the authors had "zero experience in food safety" and a "myopic focus" on one specific solution, which"verifies their role in the larger coordinated campaign to promote a policy agenda rather than workable solutionsto address COVID-19 in the workplace."The authors balked at the allegation. Tom McGarity, a University of Texas law professor who has taught a courseon food safety, argued he has for 20 years opposed industry efforts to speed production out of concern forworkers.