200 Workers Resign at US Slaughterhouse
Handling Boiling Water and Fire in Heat
"Weather So Hot It Causes Fainting"
Concerns are growing that the heatwave could also impact the U.S. labor market. It has been reported that the productivity of workers in the food service and food processing industries, who have to handle fire, is declining.
The New York Times (NYT) recently highlighted the employees at the National Beef slaughterhouse in a small town in Kansas. These slaughterhouse workers usually work wearing protective clothing, helmets, and safety glasses. When disinfecting processing equipment, they pour in hot water at 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius).
Despite these conditions, the only cooling facility inside the slaughterhouse is a fan. Since the interior is already heated, the fan only blows hot air.
As a result, many employees have reportedly quit their jobs. According to Martin Rosas, a representative of the meatpacking labor unions in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma, 200 out of 2,500 employees at the slaughterhouse have resigned since May. The number of resignations has increased by 10% compared to the same period last year.
In the food service industry, workers unable to endure the heat are also quitting in large numbers. Leah Rodriguez, who works at a McDonald's branch in California, told the media, "There is air conditioning everywhere in the store, but the kitchen thermometer exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius)," adding, "It was hot in previous summers too, but never to the point of fainting."
According to the NYT, the heatwave is already causing significant damage to the U.S. economy by worsening workers' conditions and reducing productivity. A study cited by the media estimated that economic losses in the U.S. due to summer heatwaves amounted to $100 billion (approximately 128 trillion KRW) as of 2020.
A woman is taking a commemorative photo next to a thermometer at Death Valley National Park on the 16th of last month. [Image source=AP·Yonhap News]
As the severity of heatwaves increases, economic damage is expected to grow further. The same study predicted that by 2050, annual economic losses from summer heatwaves in the U.S. could reach $500 billion (approximately 641 trillion KRW).
Meanwhile, during the first week of this month, another heatwave is expected to hit the central and southern plains of the U.S., the lower Mississippi River area, and the Gulf of Mexico coast. In particular, a warning has been issued that the highest temperature in New Orleans, Louisiana, will exceed 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 degrees Celsius). Austin and Dallas in Texas are also expected to reach around 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius), ranking among the hottest areas in the U.S.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
