Northern Ireland

Moy Park worker in Dungannon 'died from coronavirus', trade union says

 A worker at poultry company Moy Park has died after contracting coronavirus, a leading trade union has said.
 A worker at poultry company Moy Park has died after contracting coronavirus, a leading trade union has said.  A worker at poultry company Moy Park has died after contracting coronavirus, a leading trade union has said.

A worker at poultry company Moy Park has died after contracting coronavirus, a leading trade union has said.

Unite said the worker was a woman based at the company's site in Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

It is understood she was in her fifties and was a member of the production staff.

"This is devastating news and we would like to extend our condolences to her friends and family," Sean McKeever, regional officer for Unite, said.

The union called for the company's Dungannon site to be temporarily shut down while every worker and their families are tested.

It also said the Health and Safety Executive must inspect all meat processing sites to assess infection controls.

Moy Park said in March it has put "robust" measures in place to protect staff, including staggered breaks and screens on some production lines.

READ MORE: Unions clash with employers over staff safetyOpens in new window ]

Mr McKeever claimed there was a rising number of Covid-19 clusters among workplaces in the poultry and meat industries.

"Workers across the poultry and meat sectors are hugely concerned for their safety and the mid-Ulster area is now suffering a higher rate of infection than any other part of Northern Ireland," he said.

"The Northern Ireland Executive must act now before it is too late.

"We don’t want to see a repeat of their inaction that led to the crisis and avoidable deaths in our care homes.

"There are particular challenges in meat processing factories which mean they need a sector-specific strategy.

"We want to avoid the risk of the industry facing the same crisis as in the USA and Brazil where tens of thousands of workers have caught this virus."

Moy Park has been contacted for comment.

In March, some workers staged a walk-out at Moy Park’s Seagoe Operation in Portadown over coronavirus prevention measures.

It came just a few days after the poultry group said it would need an additional 500 temporary workers to meet an upsurge in demand.