Washington D.C. —Members of the Safe Food Coalition, a partnership of consumer, public health, research, and labor organizations that advocates for improvements to the food safety system, expressed alarm in response to reports that the U.S. Department of Agriculture had moved on Tuesday to terminate union contracts with thousands of employees in its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The decision implements President Donald Trump’s March executive order to exclude some federal workers from collective bargaining because their agencies have national security missions, according to the reports.
“Since it was created in 1986 to advocate for consumer protections against E.coli O157:H7 in ground beef, the Safe Food Coalition has partnered with labor leaders in recognition of the fact that safe workplaces are essential to foster a culture of food safety,” said Thomas Gremillion, Director of Food Policy at Consumer Federation of America. “Without union protections, government inspectors will be less likely to hold accountable meatpacking and agribusiness companies—many of which have deep ties to the Administration.”
“Food safety inspectors work closely with UFCW members in meatpacking and food processing plants to make sure the meat, poultry, and eggs that reach families’ tables are safe to eat,” said United Food & Commercial Workers International Union President Milton Jones. “This decision doesn’t just erode labor rights – it damages the public’s trust in the safety of our food supply.”
“This decision will undermine food safety, plain and simple,” said Brian Ronholm, Director of Food Policy, Consumer Reports. “If incidents like the Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats have taught us anything, it’s that inspectors need more incentives to speak out and this does the opposite.”
“FSIS inspectors are the first line of defense against foodborne illnesses linked to meat and poultry products,” said Sandra Eskin, CEO of Stop Foodborne Illness and former Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety at USDA. “Any steps that eliminate the protections they deserve will harm all of us.”
“FSIS inspectors, many of whom work day in, day out in the same meatpacking facility, face tremendous pressure to ‘go with the flow’ and avoid taking action that would interfere with business,” said Andrea Meza, Director of the Food Integrity Campaign at the Government Accountability Project. “This decision removes a key protection for inspectors that take their duties seriously, undermining confidence in their ability to do their work.”
The Safe Food Coalition is made up of consumer, public health and victim groups who work on issues related to food, and organizations representing labor in the food industry.