Letter to the Editor: Prevent the abuse of workers in meat plants

The O'Brien Fine Foods factory in Timahoe, Co. Kildare pictured this morning which shut down after 80 workers tested positive for COVID 19. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The pandemic has exposed disgraceful and unacceptable working conditions at many of the country’s meat processing plants. The last two Fine Gael-led governments adopted a see no evil hear no evil approach to the industry, which has allowed the widespread abuse of poorly paid meat plant workers and Dickensian working conditions. 

Some meat plant workers have been cheated out of their social security rights. Some of these workers have no annual leave entitlements and no right to illness benefits. Some meat plant workers have been forced by their employers to register as fictitiously, or bogusly, self-employed.