President Trump is planning on issuing an Executive Order under the Defense Production Act to force meat processing plants to remain open. He’s said that he will protect plant operators from liability should their employees contract COVID-19.
How do you open plants if the workers:
- Refuse to show up;
- Insist on getting sick; or
- Have the audacity to die.
If they don’t show up at work, they can be fired. Most people who work in meat processing plants work there because they do not have a myriad of career options.
At least the company owners, such as the Chinese owners of Smithfield Meats will be safe.*
So far there is no similar protection employees.
* Smithfield is a wholly owned subsidiary of WH Group, formerly known as the Shuanghui Group (双汇集团). It’s totally coincidental that Donald Trump, as an individual and/or corporate entity, owes the Chinese owned national bank $112 million.
