"COVID meatworks hit as union calls for moves to protect supply chain", 8 July 2020

The production of JBS Australia's Brooklyn plant, one of two Victorian meat processing plants identified [...] as having a coronavirus case, has not been affected but the union says Australia needs to act now to protect the meat supply chain.

JBS Australia head of corporate affairs John Berry said the meat processor had been notified of the case [...] and immediately met with Department of Health and Human Services Victoria.

"We've worked with the department and been able to demonstrate our ability to manage the risks and that we have extensive systems to protect both our people and anyone who visits our sites," Mr Berry said.

[...]

Pacific Meats has not returned Stock & Land's calls but a source who wished to remain anonymous said government cleaners were at the site [...].

[...] Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union federal secretary Graham Smith urged action to protect abattoirs.

[...]

'Meatworks are very large factories normally, anywhere between 500 and 2000 people work in most of them.

"They're all in very, very close quarters ... at their workstation, they're working right on top of each other and so, if you do get an outbreak of COVID, then it's likely to run through the meatworks fairly quickly."

Mr Smith said partitions between workers would only have a limited impact and split shifts would be more effective.

"We sent letters to various companies suggesting exactly that (split shifts), but I'm not aware of any sort of action taking effect," he said.

[...]