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Monday, March 30, 2020

What Happens If Workers Cutting Up the Nation’s Meat Get Sick?

Here’s what has happened in the meatpacking industry in the last week alone:

A federal food safety inspector in New York City, who oversaw meat processing plants, died from the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

A poultry worker in Mississippi, employed by America’s third largest chicken company, tested positive for the virus, causing a half-dozen workers to self-quarantine. Another worker in South Dakota, employed by the world’s largest pork producer, also tested positive.

And Tyson Foods told ProPublica on Friday that “a limited number of team members” had tested positive for the disease.

As COVID-19 makes its way across the country, leading to panic grocery buying in state after state, the stresses on the nation’s food supply chain have ratcheted ever higher. But in industries like meatpacking, which rely on often grueling shoulder-to-shoulder work, so have the risks to workers’ health.

At Koch Foods in Mississippi, Ramirez, an undocumented Guatemalan immigrant who asked to go by his last name, said a woman who worked near him showed up for her shift last week with a heavy cough. But after she told her supervisor, he said, she was told she couldn’t come back. The message was clear, he said. So, when he started feeling sick a few days later, he simply kept quiet and continued working.

“People are worried,” Ramirez said, that if they say they are sick, “they’ll fire us.”

Going to the doctor is not an option, he said, because he doesn’t have health insurance and fears it could expose his immigration status.

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18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I’m locked and loaded so, no problem. I know how to dress and process deer meet so I’m not concerned. I also know what wild plants are editable so go ahead and riot. I’ll be waiting when it’s all over.

Anonymous said...

Has Perdue been affected by this?

Anonymous said...

Ramirez an undocumented worker...said if they tell leaders they are sick, they could be fired.

Well.............

Anonymous said...

WE WILL BE SERIOUSLY SCREWED.

Anonymous said...

This is a serious question considering how much of the nation's poultry supply comes from local sources. But Perdue, Mountaire, Tyson, etc. can't just shut down the plants. The chickens in the pipeline can't just be put on pause and wait for a few months, can they?

Anonymous said...


Koch Foods was just raided a few months ago for hiring illegals.

Seems they are still at it, and that they are putting us at risk because the illegals will go to work sick rather than risk getting caught.

Who is it that wants 'open borders'?

Democrats. Remember that.

Anonymous said...

You get em' Rambo.

Anonymous said...

We'll become vegetarian.

Anonymous said...

I work at the Tyson plant in Virginia and we have several women sick on the line. They either work or are fired there is no sick leave.

Anonymous said...

and what about people working at fast food joints and carry out restaurants sneezing on food not washing hands etc etc i will take my chances and cook our own food but god bless them for being there

Anonymous said...

Was told Georgetown Perdue apparently shut down..2 tested positive...

Anonymous said...

The good news is.. if you get any meat that has contamination, it would be killed by the cooking process. I don't think Tyson or Perdue make any ready-to-eat stuff.

Just the same, this sucks. There should be some serious fines for companies doing this.

Anonymous said...

What the Hell is Ramirez doing working for a U.S. Company when its totally illegal to hire illegals? Far as I can see Ramirez is on his own. He's the definition of illegal entry to the USA.
Now comes all the bleeding hearts who say racist,insensitivity, sinful... I hope some member of your family needs a dose of the vaccine and they give it to him. What's the tune you'll sing when that happens.
If it's known who the employer is a total boycott and search of all their facilities and arrests made, both illegals and management so as to make an examples of them.
No encouragement, no infiltration, less repeat situations of same.

Anonymous said...

And who's picking your vegetables for you 4:55 ?
I thought so

Anonymous said...

SPAM it's what's for dinner

Anonymous said...

Cook your meat thoroughly, it's really that simple

Anonymous said...

He should volunteer for deportation if he is so scared in this country as an illegal. Just go home and do all US citizens a favor.

Anonymous said...

Let them eat cake.