News Coronavirus
No crisis in the meat sector
Dutch slaughterhouses may remain open for the time being, provided the situation improves. According to the Central Organization for the Meat Sector (COV), business failures are not assumed and there is not (yet) a crisis in the sector.
Yesterday evening (May 26), agriculture minister Carola Schouten announced, after consultation with parties in the meat sector, that the Dutch slaughterhouses may remain open. It has, however, made a request to test employees of slaughterhouses for corona. If the tests show that many workers are infected, other slaughterhouses may also be closed.
no crisis
According to Patrick de Leede, COV press spokesperson, the situation is not considered a crisis in the sector. “Despite the closed location in Groenlo, the slaughter capacity remains at the same level. Because the company has several locations where the pigs can go.” He added: "The consultation shows that efforts will be made to keep the slaughterhouses open, so we do not assume that there will be a failure."
Other locations threaten to close when inspectors from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) no longer want to work due to safety risks. However, De Leede does not want to say anything about that. “That is a hypothetical matter and we are not going to anticipate that yet.”
Avoid Closure
The representatives of the meat sector have pledged to make every effort to improve the situation. Jos Goebbels, chairman of COV, says that the slaughterhouses are doing everything they can to ensure that the RIVM guidelines are complied with. Extra measures have been taken to observe the 1,5 meters. For example, partitions are placed and the walking routes of employees are looked at.
The housing and transport of the employees are also closely monitored. Employers will carry out checks on this and if the situation does not meet the RIVM guidelines, action will be taken, according to Goebbels.
Employees put under pressure
There are suspicions that infected employees at a Vion abattoir have been put under pressure to continue working, according to the FD. The suspicion comes from the Inspectorate SZW and is based on conversations with employees.
There is talk of a suspicion, but there is no concrete suspicion yet. It is suspected that employment agencies have put pressure on employees with the threat of being deprived of housing capacity if the employees do not go to work.
The suspicion is based on stories that the employees (mainly of Romanian descent) told the inspectorate. Horizon Meat Services, the relevant employment agency in question, firmly denies that any pressure was exerted on the employees.
Chanti Oussoren
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