An open letter to the directors of Foyle Food Group, the Health & Safety Executive, and the Northern Ireland Executive Office


As members of the local community, we are deeply concerned by reports which have emerged of unsafe working conditions at the Foyle meat processing plant in Omagh, which seem to have contributed to a cluster of Covid-19 infections among the workforce. Given that we have now seen the tragic death of a worker at Moy Park in Dungannon, it is clear that action is urgently needed.

We support the trade union demand for a temporary closure of the plant, without loss of jobs or pay, so that a deep clean can be carried out and all staff and their families tested. Only when this has been completed should production resume. Appropriate PPE, sanitation and distancing measures must then be put in place in every area of the factory.

Given that Foyle Foods Group made £2.57 million in profit and paid out over £1 million to its directors in 2018, and that it styles itself as an industry leader, we do not believe that these measures are beyond the reach of the company. The health of workers and the general public must come before profit. We call on the company’s management, the Health & Safety Executive and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that the workers’ demands are met immediately.

If the owners and politicians fail to act swiftly, however, we fully support the right of workers in the factory to take action themselves to defend the wellbeing of themselves, their families and the wider public. We understand that some workers in the factory have already walked out as a result of unsafe working conditions. If they feel the need to take further industrial action, they can be sure that the local community will be behind them and will assist them in whatever way possible.

Yours faithfully,