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A MESSAGE FROM SCOTT HARDY

Good morning, everyone! Here we are again, the day after Memorial Day. Hopefully, you're not sunburned, or feeling hungover from holiday drinks and grilled meat goodness! 

As some of you might be aware, finding meat in the supermarket has been more of a challenge than usual, because COVID-19 ran rampant through the meatpackers, and like many employers, the meatpacking plants didn't provide PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to their employees. These folks work shoulder to shoulder, so when one gets sick, it can spread very quickly. Simple things like face masks for all employees, or even just SICK employees, might have slowed the spread of COVID-19 through the many meatpacking plants around the country. Yet, that didn't happen. In fact, these meatpacking plants were deemed essential businesses and kept open. While I appreciate the MEAT, I am concerned about the workers' rights.

Right now, all across the country, legislators are trying to pass immunity laws for businesses who may not have done enough to help keep their employees safe. This is happening in every state government (including Arizona) and the Senate in Washington, D.C. The workers affected include essential employees at meatpacking plants, hospitals, grocery stores, and many other places. Those employees who kept us safe, but were provided thin plastic rain ponchos as PPE (like firefighters in Phoenix), or were asked to re-use masks, or not wear them at all (like nurses and doctors in Southern California), or weren't provided anything at all (like grocery store workers around the country), and got sick and DIED, may not be able to file a lawsuit.

That's the problem with this waiver of liability for employers. It completely eliminates the rights of the employees. If you're a nurse and you work for the largest healthcare system in the nation, which brings in $46.7 billion a year, and you got sick, possibly because your employer wasn't willing to pay a premium for N95 masks or masks of any sort, and you DIED, your family may not be able to sue your employer. It's SHOCKING that doctors and nurses weren't provided PPE, or had to buy it themselves, when their employers who charge thousands of dollars for an emergency room visit (like my family paid in the past few months) can't afford to pay for PPE for their employees! I know, there was a MASSIVE shortage (kind of). PPE was out there, the hospitals just had to be willing to pay the price.

Back to the meatpackers... They were deemed essential workers and sent back to work, but most weren't given any kind of PPE (at least at first.) As of May 8th, at least 48 meatpacking employees have died from COVID-19. If their families try to sue the employers, they won't get far if the companies are shielded from liability. A firefighter who was given a poncho as their PPE contracts coronavirus and dies? Sorry! She'll get a hero's funeral while her family, her kids, her grieving husband, try to figure out how to supplant that income they lost. It's very, very sad. I'd encourage you to contact your senator, and let them know you want our friends working on the front lines to be protected. They need that PPE, and if their employers aren't providing it, and they get sick, they need to be able to get some justice.

It's a very slippery slope we walk up when companies start taking away your ability to fight for yourself, or your family's right to get you justice. That's what's happening around state capitols right now, and I wanted to make sure you're aware of it!

OK, on to some more lawsuit and settlement updates!

California Gas Companies Spiked Prices, Class Action Claims

1-800 Contacts Inc. Strikes $15M Deal With Customers

Safeway & Albertsons Class Action Says Stores Sold Toxic Plates

That's all for now! I hope you have a FANTASTIC week, stay healthy, and for those of you with kids at home due to no summer camp, best of luck to us all! WE CONTINUE TO NEED IT! :)

Warm Regards,
Scott Hardy
President & CEO

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