Mandatory temperature testing in meat factories around the country has been called for by one of Ireland’s largest trade unions, SIPTU.

SIPTU, which represents thousands of workers in the meat industry, outlined the need for mandatory testing in the effort to limit the spread of Covid-19 in the sector.

Mandatory testing

Speaking to AgriLand, Greg Ennis, divisional organiser with SIPTU, explained:

“The reopening work protocol, which I presume will cover people who are still at work, as issued last Friday, doesn’t call for mandatory testing.”

While noting that the protocol has a number of good things in it, he said: “It mentions temperature testing but doesn’t call for mandatory temperature testing within the beef industry, which was somewhat disappointing.

“We wanted mandatory temperature testing to be brought into the meat plants – while we will do all that we can within the workplace to ensure safety, and some employers are working with us on that, what happens outside the workplace is as important.

You have a lot of people that may be cohabiting and travelling together in and out of work, and so on – that is where problems can happen.

“I do have to say that a number of employers are working really well with us to do everything that they can but it’s disappointing that temperature testing isn’t mandatory, because of the nature of the industry.”

‘Potential new front-line’

Regarding the current clusters in the meat plants, Ennis said: “We’re not surprised that there are so many clusters; we see it as a potential new front-line in the battle against the coronavirus and we’ve been raising this for weeks.

“The beef industry provides an essential foodstuff so it’s important that it stays open – but obviously nothing trumps the safety of workers; that’s of paramount importance.”

The official noted that a lot of the employers have worked with SIPTU to ensure safety in the workplace, through the provision of Perspex screens between workers, visors and personal protection equipment and other things, but stressed:

It doesn’t deal with the issues outside of the workplace – and that’s why we call for mandatory temperature testing.

From a political angle, Ennis said: “I believe that Minister Creed was late in the day coming out and confirming clusters within the meat industry, and only did so when it was raised by Brian Stanley in the Dáil.

“We have been raising concerns for some time prior to this about the industry because of the nature of the work involved.”