THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST PORK PROCESSOR HAS BEEN FINED BY THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND HAS AGREED TO ASSEMBLE A TEAM OF COMPANY AND THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS TO DEVELOP AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREPAREDNESS PLAN THAT THE COMPANY WILL IMPLEMENT AT ALL OF ITS PROCESSING FACILITIES.
SMITHFIELD PACKAGED MEATS MUST PAY A FINE OF $13,494 DOLLARS AFTER OSHA CITED THE COMPANY FOR FAILING TO “PROVIDE A WORKPLACE FREE FROM RECOGNIZED HAZARDS THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS HARM.”
IN THE SPRING OF 2020, THE COMPANY CLOSED ITS SIOUX FALLS PLANT FOR 25 DAYS IN AN EFFORT TO CONTAIN A COVID-19 OUTBREAK.
BY JUNE 16TH, 1,294 SMITHFIELD WORKERS HAD TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AND FOUR DIED.
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS LOCAL 304A, THE UNION FOR NEARLY 3,000 SOUTH DAKOTA FRONTLINE WORKERS, CONDEMNED THE SETTLEMENT, CALLING IT A SLAP ON THE WRIST FOR SMITHFIELD AND A DEEPLY TROUBLING BETRAYAL OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE ALREADY SACRIFICED SO MUCH IN THIS PANDEMIC.
