Affiliates must be at the negotiating table on environmental policy

The IUF Meat Division resolved at a planning meeting in San Francisco on March 14 & 15 that affiliates must be at the negotiating table in discussions over environmental policy and changing jobs and is planning to increase its knowledge and resources to equip affiliates to defend the rights and interests of their members.

Affiliates also agreed that work on defending the rights of migrant workers should be intensified and forums and structures to increase inclusion and representation of migrants, women and LGBTI workers are required to promote equality and strengthen our unions.

The hazardous nature of work in meat processing requires stronger protective legislation and constant union vigilance as corporate demands for greater line speeds and self-regulation intensify. Antibiotic resistant pathogens increase the risk of workers contracting untreatable diseases and the IUF will lobby to have antimicrobial resistance recognized as a notifiable occupational health hazard.

The appalling conditions of work and rights deficits in much of the global poultry sector was singled out as requiring extra resource and coordinated activity in a campaign to lift standards.