Experts and advocates say this isn’t new, however, and Mr. Newsom’s announcement of a targeted effort in the Central Valley doesn’t go far enough to force employers to keep workers safe. “The issue is not just that employers should follow certain guidelines, but that often times they fail to abide by minimum standards,” said Ana Padilla, in an emailed response to Mr. Newsom’s announcement. [Read about how the pandemic’s health and economic effects are converging in warehouses.] She said the state must do more to enforce guidelines and laws — not just educate. Still, Mr. Flores said it was not too late for the state to enact stricter policies and more rigorously enforce existing rules in the Central Valley’s big workplaces, in particular meatpacking and food processing plants.

Source: New York Times July 28, 2020 12:45 UTC