June 3, 2020

Marfig signs settlement with labour prosecutors to offer more protection from COVID-19 for its workers

Major Brazilian meatpacker Marfig Global Foods reached an agreement with local labour prosecutors to boost its measures for protecting its workers against COVID-19, Reuters reported.

The labour prosecutors said as part of the company's settlement, Marfig will introduce routine COVID-19 testing for its workers and implement a 1.5 meter physical distancing on the processing floor in all its 12 plants in Brazil.

Prosecutors added that all workers that show symptoms of the virus must be removed from the workplace for 14 days as per official health protocols.

Marfig said it will test all 18,000 workers for COVID-19 beginning June 2, 2020. The company has agreed to rapid serological tests (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction molecular method, RT-PCR) meant for workers in shared environments.

Marfig is the majority owner of United States-based National Beef Co.

-      Reuters