'It's shameful:' Workers in meat processing industry speak out, cite lack of concern for virus at facilities

Workers in meat processing industry speak out, cite lack of concern for virus at facilities

MILWAUKEE -- The immigrant rights group Voces de la Frontera held a news conference Wednesday with workers who said they expressed concerns about COVID-19 from the very beginning.

American Foods

They are some of the voices of the meat processing industry -- employees who are on the front lines, now dealing with the coronavirus.

Raquel Sanchez, who works for American Foods Group, says she tested posted of April 11 and that early concerns about the virus and plant safety were ignored.

JBS Packerland

She believes the lack of concern led to outbreaks at facilities like American Foods Group where 145 employees have now tested positive. At another meat processing facility, JBS Packerland, 255 workers are fighting the virus.

People tied to various facilities -- mostly in the Green Bay area -- spoke out during the news conference. Their worries focused on a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing and an order from President Donald Trump to keep meat processing plants open and operating.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz

"This current action is unconscionable, it's shameful and we will not be quiet in our condemnation," said Christine Neumann-Ortiz with Voces de la Frontera.

President Trump declared the plants part of the country's critical infrastructure, trying to halt a disruption in the food supply.

Companies like Smithfield Foods say they are doing temperature checks and encouraging social distancing with plexiglass. Smithfield operates Patrick Cudahy which is in the midst of a two-week rolling shutdown; there were 28 cases of COVID-19 tied to the plant.

Raquel Sanchez

Workers remain concerned as meat processors plan to reopen, focusing on their health and livelihood.

"My returning back to work may be in the next couple of weeks," Sanchez said.

The Cudahy Health Department says it is working with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to investigate cases of the coronavirus linked to Smithfield Foods. In the meantime, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating six Wisconsin plants.