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ABP has said the safety and wellbeing of its staff is paramount and that the company has introduced a variety of additional measures at all its sites in recent weeks in response to COVID-19.
Earlier today an estimated 80 employees at the meat processor's facility in Lurgan, Co Armagh, downed tools over fears around their personal safety.
A spokesperson for ABP said the measures introduced by the company included protocols around essential visitors, temperature checking, additional sanitising stations, staggered breaks, and additional canteen spaces.
“The company is taking guidance from the relevant public health authorities and is continually reviewing the situation and taking additional steps where necessary,” the spokesperson said.
Social distancing
Separately, 1,000 workers at the Moy Park's chicken processing site in Portadown also staged a walk out in a protest over working conditions.
Commenting on the developments, Susan Fitzgearald, Unite's regional coordinating officer called on the UK government to act quickly to protect workers deemed essential to keeping the food supply chain operational.
Fitzgerald said workers wanted adequate social distancing of two metres be facilitated and deep-cleans conducted on work stations where workers have self-isolated following the onset of coronavirus-like symptoms.
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