Washington state issues emergency rule to protect farm workers from COVID-19. But worker advocates fear it won't save many lives.

Reuters/Mike Blake

• Washington state issued an emergency rule on Wednesday that requires employers to increase sanitation and provide farmworkers cloth masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
• The state was sued in April by labor unions, which alleged it was failing to adequately protect this essential workforce from the threat of COVID-19.
• However, those unions are not pleased with the new regulation.
• "It's insufficient, from our perspective, to protect workers," Elizabeth Strater, an organizer with United Farm Workers, told Business Insider. "We expected a lot more."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The farmworkers who pick your apples will enjoy a few more protections from COVID-19 under new emergency rules issued Wednesday by the state of Washington. 

The development comes after labor unions sued the agricultural powerhouse, claiming it was not acting fast enough to protect this essential workforce during the pandemic, as Business Insider reported last month.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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