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Karl-Josef Laumann: “Serious shortcomings” in meat industry accommodations

Üovercrowded rooms, mold and risk of collapse: has such defects North Rhine-Westphalia in accommodations for workers in the meat industry detected. A report discloses fat least 1,900 complaints.

Numerous shortcomings had already been identified by May in the inspection of accommodation for workers in the meat industry in North Rhine-Westphalia. The almost 1,900 medium and serious complaints included overcrowding, mold, risk of collapse, leaky roofs, “catastrophic sanitary facilities”, fire deficiencies and the lack of disinfectants. This is from a report from the Minister of Health Karl-Josef Laumann to the state parliament.

Karl-Josef Laumann in the Bundestag: The NRW Minister of Health presented a new report on Wednesday. (Source: J. Krick / Future Image / imago images)

Four apartments with significant construction defects

According to the state government, around 650 accommodations with more than 5,300 people were checked in the meat industry by the end of May – even before the massive Corona outbreak at the Tönnies company. “Four apartments had to be cleared due to considerable construction defects and health risks.”

Laumann said that complaints regarding the accommodation of harvest workers were comparatively low. He emphasized that the controls were only possible through the corona pandemic – normally the authorities are not allowed to do that. He therefore sees a need to change federal law.

Apartments for workers in Gütersloh: Tönnies employees stand in front of a residential building, all had to be quarantined in June.  (Archive picture) (Source: imago images / Ulrich Hufnagel / Xinhua)Apartments for workers in Gütersloh: Tönnies employees stand in front of a residential building, all had to be quarantined in June. (Archive picture) (Source: Ulrich Hufnagel / Xinhua / imago images)

Almost 5,800 seasonal workers checked

According to Laumann, 250 farms and the accommodations of almost 5,800 seasonal workers had been checked by the end of May. 170 mostly small or medium-sized defects were found. “Conversely, it has also been found that some farms were very well prepared to implement hygiene protection measures,” the minister said in his report.

SPD country chief Sebastian Hartmann threw prime minister Armin Laschet pretended not to have looked closely and not to act consistently – although the conditions had been known for a long time. Laschet also failed in dealing with the Corona crisis at Tönnies and the excessive restrictions on the population. “It is clear that this disaster has two names: Laschet and Tönnies.”

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