Union calls for mandatory Covid-19 testing for meat industry workers

SIPTU: Government must introduce mandatory testing for workers in the meat industry

SIPTU division organiser, Greg Ennis has said that it is time for the Government to “get real” and introduce mandatory testing for meat industry workers.

The meat industry sector offered “a perfect storm” for the transmission of Covid-19, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland.

Mr Ennis said the union had been warning about this prospect since March and had written to the Department in April warning of the poor working conditions for workers in the meat industry.

It had taken almost six months to get Meat Industry Ireland to agree to talks which will take place next week, he added.

Conditions such as working in close proximity, air conditioning and noise pollution, which means workers have to raise their voices which leads to the spread of the virus through droplets, all contribute to “the perfect storm”, he said.

Mr Ennis also pointed out that 95% of workers in the meat industry earn just above the minimum wage and have no sick pay schemes which puts pressure on them to continue working even when they are sick.

Some plants are very good at looking after their staff, acknowledged Mr Ennis, but there should be mandatory testing, he said, with any worker with symptoms immediately sent home on full pay.

There was also the social issue with many workers car-pooling and sharing accommodation which meant they were at risk “within and out of the workplace”.

The cost of mandatory testing was a matter for the Government and employers to discuss, added Mr Ennis.

“It’s time the Government got real and brought in mandatory testing.” 

Mr Ennis also called for unannounced inspections of plants.