More than 1500 positive corona tests, two counties in Lockdown, again closed daycare centers and schools. The virus outbreak in North Rhine-Westphalia meat it has massive consequences for the employees and the residents of the surrounding regions. And he throws a spotlight on the often catastrophic Hygiene and working conditions in the factories.
operated Hardly infections in Swiss battle
That there is another way, shows however, the Switzerland. Large-scale virus outbreaks in slaughterhouses and meat establishments, it was not in the country yet. “Of the total of 3000 employees ill in the past five months, around a dozen of the Coronavirus. In the meantime, all Concerned are healthy again and back at work,” declared Marcel Schlatter, media spokesman for the “ Mirgros ” , a subsidiary Micarna the Swiss magazine “Blick”. Micarna is one of the leading meat of the Switzerland processors, the company supplies the trade with catering businesses and large consumers.
traditionally, the Swiss market leader Bell . of The operation with some 12,000 employees the largest meat processor in Switzerland. To “view” said spokesman Fabian Vetsch: “The contagions are done in a private environment and were not in connection with the work situation in our operations.”
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As was recently announced, deliver in a Swiss slaughterhouse, a plant of the Ernst Sutter AG in Emmental, in may, 16 people a positive effect on Covid-19 have been tested. Even if the operation includes a total of only 210 employees, a relatively low number, especially compared to that of Tönnies. At the main location in Rheda-Gütersloh evidence had infected more than 1,500 of the more than 6000 employees with the Coronavirus.
What the Swiss companies are different from those of the Germans? What makes our neighbouring country better?
dealing with employees
In Germany are mainly employed workers from Eastern Europe in the meat establishments. For example, the company Tönnies employed to low wages, employees of subcontractors. In the approximately 700 meat of the Switzerland many people from the East of Europe work operated without a recognised vocational training. If you believe in the trade Union Unia, the pay is also relatively low.
According to the Swiss meat Association (SFF) is not allowed to run, however, the applicable social Standards. Therefore, the industry contracts of employment, with its requirements for all employees shall apply to the total stand – also for those who are employed through subcontractors.
however, There is another big difference: “in this Country, the foreign staff for your accommodation and meals in principle, responsible. You have to organize thus to themselves and also need the appropriate work permit along with residence confirmation“, says Ruedi Hadorn, Director of the SFF the Swiss news portal Nau.
The foreign staff will not be housed in accommodation in Switzerland, so in a narrow Collection, whereby the contact among colleagues outside the workplace reudziere says Hadorn and criticized. “Such living conditions, such as in Germany, are reprehensible.”
Smaller companies than in Germany,
another advantage of the Swiss meat industry in the current corona crisis: The farms are usually much smaller than in the us. “In Germany, sometimes up to 20,000 animals per day are slaughtered. This value is the largest Swiss slaughterhouses reach not even approximate in a week,“ says Hadorn.
The conditions of the local meat production are therefore not comparable with each other. An outbreak in Germany of the Director of the SFF considers to be extremely unlikely.
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Strict hygiene regulations
The smaller size of Swiss farms also Adhere to the relatively strict rules of hygiene easier. The Swiss meat industry Association, issued about a pattern of the protection concept for the meat processing industry. Meanwhile, the virus is courts danger in the battle, however, so low considered that the more stringent minimum distance of two meters was again reduced to 1.5 meters.
rules of hygiene such as the washing of hands shall continue to apply, in addition, the rest rooms have been enlarged using the tents temporarily. “If the specified minimum distances among the employees, staff can not be met, for example, in the case of the meat inspection at the Slaughter line, must be at least visors made of Plexiglas worn,” says a spokeswoman for the Federal food safety and veterinary office (fsvo) on request by FOCUS Online.
The control of the stockyards, as well as compliance with the prescribed hygiene measures is the responsibility of the cantonal authorities.
Higher meat prices
another aspect not to be ignored: The price of the meat. As Ruedi Hadron declared to the “New Zurich newspaper”, is the meat in Switzerland is about twice as expensive as in Germany. Even if the General cost of labor, animals for slaughter, and infrastructure are significantly higher, affects the nevertheless, a positive effect on working conditions and animal welfare.
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the need for action in terms of animal welfare
Even if Switzerland makes in regard to Hygiene and dealing with employees a lot of things right – in terms of animal welfare is needed in this area however. The shows last an investigation of the BLV , which was carried out between January 2018 and March 2019 from 67 slaughterhouses in Switzerland and in Liechtenstein.
Therefore, the majority of companies continue to run deficits in animal welfare during the slaughter process. “The legal rules for the protection of animals at slaughter are good, but are followed in most of the visited Establishments is insufficient,” writes the BLV.
Indeed, have been deliberately selected high-Risk factories that were noticed in previous cantonal Inspections. Nevertheless, Ruedi Hadorn grants to the Swiss news portal Nau: “We are in regular exchange with the authorities in order to improve the possible problem cases.”
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