Articles by Mike Dorning

Democratic House Chairs Urge N95 Mask Requirement for Meatpacking Plant Workers

Key Democratic House Committee chairs asked the Biden administration to require N95 air filtration masks to protect against the spread of Covid-19 at meatpacking plants, prisons and other risky workplaces. The letter sent Monday cited research finding the virus is …

Meatpacking Plants Linked to Up to 8% of Early U.S. COVID Cases

As many as one in 12 cases of Covid-19 in the early stage of the pandemic in the U.S. can be tied to outbreaks at meatpacking plants and subsequent spread in surrounding communities, according to a study. The findings highlight …

Tyson Suspends Meat Plant Managers Accused of COVID Betting Pool

Tyson Foods Inc. said it has suspended managers at an Iowa meatpacking plant accused in lawsuits of betting on how many workers would be infected in a Covid outbreak earlier this year. More than 1,000 of the 2,800 employees at …

Coronavirus Safety: U.S. Behind Global Rivals in Protecting Meat Plant Workers

The U.S. government is falling behind global rivals when it comes to protecting meatpacking workers from Covid-19 infections, even though the nation’s plants were among the first to confront rampant cases across factories. In Germany, the government is ready to …

Citing Safety, Union Sues to Block Trump Waivers That Speed Up Poultry Lines

A food workers’ union filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday to block Trump administration waivers that allow poultry plants to operate production lines at a faster pace, arguing the higher speeds endanger employees. The suit challenges the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s …

Farm Workers Getting Sick, Spreading Coronavirus As Peak Produce Season Begins

All of the roughly 200 employees on a produce farm in Tennessee tested positive for Covid-19 this month. In New Jersey, more than 50 workers had the virus at a farm in Gloucester County, adding to nearly 60 who fell …

Farm Bankruptcies Up 24% on Strain from Trump Trade War

U.S. farm bankruptcies in September surged 24% to the highest since 2011 amid strains from President Donald Trump’s trade war with China and a year of wild weather. Growers are also becoming increasingly dependent on trade aid and other federal …

Food Workers Sue to Stop Trump Plan to Speed Up Pig Slaughterhouse Lines

A food workers’ union filed a federal lawsuit Monday to block a Trump administration move to end limits on the speed of pork slaughter lines, arguing the new rule would lead to more injuries among employees and increase the risk …

Obama Expected to Veto Bill Allowing 9/11 Suits Against Saudis

The unopposed House vote Friday to allow families of Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia begins a diplomatic nightmare for President Barack Obama. The legislation is sure to antagonize a key U.S. ally in the Middle East which already …

White House Urges Action on Cyber Bill After Anthem Attack

President Barack Obama’s top advisers urged Congress to act quickly to strengthen consumer data protections after the security breach at Anthem Inc. “Hardly a week goes by when the problem is not on the front pages of the newspapers,” John …