What's next for hoarding?

[W2R]

Cheese availability

Cheddar cheese in the big package is gone and has been gone for at least a week at Wegmans eastern Pa. You can get some expensive cheddar that's already sliced. All you can get in the big package is Mozzarella. Why? Are the cheese employees all calling out sick, just like the meat processors? Oh, boneless chicken breast went from $1.97 a pound to $5.25 a pound at Wegmans. Ugh. Get it while you can? Well, maybe someone else can get it, for $5.25 a pound, lol.

A huge plant run by Leprino Foods closed in Colorado because of COVID-19 infections spreading among workers. They are the #1 or #2 producers of mozzarella in the US and presumably make other cheese.

Frank has been going to the (bricks'n'mortar) actual grocery store once a week since this started. He wears mask, gloves, goggles, and puts a lot of effort into decontaminating.

Anyway, about cheese - - since I am too chicken to go to the store, he brings me a pound of cheddar cheese every time he goes, usually in two 1/2 pound packages of the usual store cheese, no need to pay for fancy cheese. This cheddar cheese is at my request since I love it and really missed having any.

No cheddar cheese availability problems so far at our regular, Kroger or Safeway style supermarket (but a local chain). Last week they had cheddar but no Swiss cheese, which he wanted. So he substituted provolone.

I will be sad if cheese becomes hard to find.

 

[ER Eddie]

I heard a report that Trump is planning to order meat processing plants to open, rather than remain closed under the current guidelines. He's declaring them essential services. I was actually surprised to hear that they were not already considered that. Liquor stores are essential services, but food processing plants are not?

If that's true, that should help to avoid or limit some the shortages we've been hearing about.

The report I saw mentioned only beef, pork, chicken, and egg production. I'm not sure about grains, fruits, and vegetables.

 

[brewer12345]

I wonder if the workers at those plants will actually show up. I would not.

 

[Dtail]

I wonder if the workers at those plants will actually show up. I would not.

Probably not too many other choices of employment.

 

[GravitySucks]

I wonder if the workers at those plants will actually show up. I would not.

Me either. But we're fortunate to have that option.

 

[Jerry1]

I wonder if the workers at those plants will actually show up. I would not.

Me either. But we're fortunate to have that option.

I would take that option versus having people go hungry.

Hopefully, along with the essential status will come some preferential distribution of PPE to those employees.

I don't know if it has or will come to this, but at some point, it could be no different than being drafted. I'm sure there's a Vietnam vet or two on here that would have rather taken a chance at a meat packing plant than a trip to a war zone. In terms of a moral code, I see it the same as military. I wouldn't accept sending military into battle improperly equipped, and this should be no different. Of course it does seem like we accept that situation with the medical staff, but it shouldn't be that way. I can understand that happening early on, but it's been awhile now. How long does it take to purchase/make/acquire masks and proper equipment?

 

[audreyh1]

I would take that option versus having people go hungry.

Hopefully, along with the essential status will come some preferential distribution of PPE to those employees.

I don't know if it has or will come to this, but at some point, it could be no different than being drafted. I'm sure there's a Vietnam vet or two on here that would have rather taken a chance at a meat packing plant than a trip to a war zone. In terms of a moral code, I see it the same as military. I wouldn't accept sending military into battle improperly equipped, and this should be no different. Of course it does seem like we accept that situation with the medical staff, but it shouldn't be that way. I can understand that happening early on, but it's been awhile now. How long does it take to purchase/make/acquire masks and proper equipment?

Easy for you to say, not being a meat packing plant worker......

 

[Pellice]

Interesting article that explains why some products are virtually impossible to find. I haven’t tried to shop for dumbbells but I had a really hard time finding hair clippers, although I did finally secure a pair.

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/...s-and-hair-clippers-impossible-to-find-online

This article is fascinating. What am I seeing here, conceptually? Pure Capitalism in action? Or is this, conceptually, Piracy? Smuggling? Or rule by machines, Cyberocracy?

As for the requirement that meat processing plants stay open, would you want meat packaged in a plant by people likely infected with COVID-19? Above, the idea of a draft was suggested, somewhat facetiously. Can you imagine how, politically, the idea of a draft to do meat processing would go over? Although, I kind of like the idea of management forced to get down on the processing floor again to keep their companies afloat - and forced to stay there by the president's executive order. This order shows to me the complexity of dealing with this economic crisis.

 

[ER Eddie]

Hopefully, along with the essential status will come some preferential distribution of PPE to those employees.

I heard the plan is for the feds to assist the processing plants with additional guidelines and supplies, although I'm not sure what the supplies consist of. Presumably there will be additional testing and protection.

A lot of workers in meat processing plants live near the poverty level, at least in my neck of the woods. I imagine many of them want to get back to work and get the paychecks coming in again. I know the plant operators want to open.

 

[gwraigty]

I heard a report that Trump is planning to order meat processing plants to open, rather than remain closed under the current guidelines. He's declaring them essential services. I was actually surprised to hear that they were not already considered that. Liquor stores are essential services, but food processing plants are not?

If that's true, that should help to avoid or limit some the shortages we've been hearing about.

The report I saw mentioned only beef, pork, chicken, and egg production. I'm not sure about grains, fruits, and vegetables.

I hope this order is effective. AFAIK, they haven't been closing down grocery stores or distribution centers for lengthy periods every time an employee gets sick. We wouldn't be able to get food hardly at all. Sure, they'll have to operate at reduced capacity, but that's better than nothing. If it's a matter of the workers refusing to work, don't they realize that they're risking their own food supply, too?

 

[MRG]

Easy for you to say, not being a meat packing plant worker......

+1
Folks who think others should go to work, in a job that can't be safely done, should try it for a while. I've worked on a line like that, no way would I go to work, putting my family at risk, for a $10 an hour.

 

[ivinsfan]

This article is fascinating. What am I seeing here, conceptually? Pure Capitalism in action? Or is this, conceptually, Piracy? Smuggling? Or rule by machines, Cyberocracy?

As for the requirement that meat processing plants stay open, would you want meat packaged in a plant by people likely infected with COVID-19? Above, the idea of a draft was suggested, somewhat facetiously. Can you imagine how, politically, the idea of a draft to do meat processing would go over? Although, I kind of like the idea of management forced to get down on the processing floor again to keep their companies afloat - and forced to stay there by the president's executive order. This order shows to me the complexity of dealing with this economic crisis.

I'll go with management too, let them see what it's like in the trenches..

You do know that you can't get COVID from raw meat?

 

[ivinsfan]

I heard the plan is for the feds to assist the processing plants with additional guidelines and supplies, although I'm not sure what the supplies consist of. Presumably there will be additional testing and protection.

A lot of workers in meat processing plants live near the poverty level, at least in my neck of the woods. I imagine many of them want to get back to work and get the paychecks coming in again. I know the plant operators want to open.

As far as paychecks not sure what happened to workers paychecks, maybe they were continued to retain the workforce...part of the new guidelines are putting workers 6 ft apart which will greatly reduce plant capacity.

 

[doneat54]

I wonder if the workers at those plants will actually show up. I would not.

The financial repercussion is that if they choose not to, they can't collect unemployment.

 

[ivinsfan]

The financial repercussion is that if they choose not to, they can't collect unemployment.

Well I suspect many the paychecks from the company continued for this very reason, to leave their workers with no recourse but to return to work.

Sometimes the meat packing industry smacks of serfdom..not a shining example of anything decent.

The public looks the other way because they want food on their tables.

 

[Involuntary Retiree]

I'll go with management too, let them see what it's like in the trenches..

You do know that you can't get COVID from raw meat?

I cook my meat.

 

[ivinsfan]

I cook my meat.

So does everyone else.so yippee no COVID from meat....

 

[MRG]

I cook my meat.

Do you handle the meat?

 

[Music Lover]

Do you handle the meat?

I always wash my hands and avoid touching my face when handling raw meat.

 

[ivinsfan]

Do you handle the meat?

Come now no one is going to get COVID from raw meat...

 

[SumDay]

I think the next hoarding items will be walking/tennis shoes. If my neighborhood is any indication, there will be lots of shoes that need replacing before this is over.

Oh, and ladies headbands and turbans. I'm starting to see these to cover up the inability to get hair color appointments, and they also cover up the shaggy no-haircut look.

 

[MRG]

I always wash my hands and avoid touching my face when handling raw meat.

So do I. Been distancing for 7 weeks not gone out for anything except necessary items and been marked and gloved for a month.

Despite our best efforts we have both been sick for 3.5 weeks. No respiratory issues or fever just 4 of the new symptoms(muscle aches, sore throat, loss of taste and smell, and nonstop headaches) probably just a cold. One that lasts for weeks, has no typical cold symptoms, and keeps coming back. [emoji56]

 

[John Galt III]

On the meat packing labor shortage. Correct me if I am spreading misinformation, but I think the meat packing workers are allowed to quit, citing fear of the virus, and then are able to collect state Unemployment Insurance plus the newly created federal UI of $600 per week, totaling, let's say, $700 per week state, plus the $600 fed, equals $1,300 per week to stay safe at home. Might be making more money, and staying safer, by voluntarily quitting. Can't find detailed info online about this, and there is some confusing rule about having to stop collecting UI if your plant reopens. I would not be too happy about working in a contagious zone, but there has to be a solution to this labor shortage. Maybe this 'Defense Production Act' will have a positive effect on things all around, let's hope.

 

[Jerry1]

Easy for you to say, not being a meat packing plant worker......

I don’t think it’s any easier for me to say they should go to work than it is for others to say they shouldn’t. In the latter case, we sit here on a financial independent site and say “I wouldn’t go to work”. Sure, we probably don’t have to. As was pointed out, the people working in theses factories are probably not well off and if no work equals no pay, what kind of decision is that for them?

FWIW, I did point out that significant accommodations should be made for these workers. I never suggested they just get thrown to the wolves (the virus). Maybe they all get tested every day. Maybe they get tested and then the have to stay on site. I saw an article where the people who make polypropylene (needed for face masks) voluntarily locked themselves down and stayed in the factory working 12 hour shifts for 28 days.

When this all started, my DD was scared. To put it mildly, she was worried about civil unrest. I told her, everything will be okay as long as there’s food. These people are essential, they are hero’s, and every protection we can provide should be provided. But at some point, I go back to my original point, people have gotten drafted and became unsuspecting hero’s. This is probably not there yet, but could get to that point.

 

[MRG]

Come now no one is going to get COVID from raw meat...

Any data to support this claim?