Latino Deaths in Meat Factories Raise Concern Regarding Quality of US Food Supply

Last week, workers in a meat processing factory in JBS died due to coronavirus, based on reports and family claims. The passing contributed to a factory closure for intense cleaning and to test workers starting last Tuesday until April 24.

The fatalities in the meat factory of the three Latino workers that were infected by COVID-19 in Greeley, Colorado, raised concerns regarding the workers' health as well as the exposure to the food supply of the nation. 

As there have been reports of coronavirus contamination among workers in factories everywhere around the country, currently, several meat processing factories have been suspended indefinitely. The outbreaks sparked demands for additional masks, gloves, and similar protective gear from organized labor, civil and workers' rights groups, as well as coronavirus screening, paid leave, disability, and other benefits for employees who have stayed on the job.

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According to Kim Cordova, president of the Colorado United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, most of the employees have been working hand in hand at factories. The organization is representing the Greeley employees as well as others from several factories. 

Companies running the factories have received complaints that they have been under-prepared for the outbreak, have not done much for the workers,  and have still not answered to the families of the employees that have died or have become ill.

Cordova has this to say regarding the factory in Greeley: "We have been filing grievances trying to get the company to file notices about COVID-19. They had very little material that was translated into different languages; there are 30 languages spoken at that plant." She stated that the factory hires a variety of immigrants, including refugees.

The volume of Latino staff working in the essential food industry - from agricultural workers, truck drivers to retail workers as well as grocery stores is particularly alarming to advocates. Most fail to get sufficient supplies for protection and can not afford to isolate themselves from co-workers.

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Coronavirus and the Latin Community

Garcia had also said that the coronavirus has opened up a new civil rights campaign, as Latino people experience a pandemic that exploits existing inequalities in health and income as well as ethnic and racial disparities.

LULAC released Tuesday a report outlining the effect of the three authorized relief packages on Latinos and efforts to force Congress and the government to acknowledge the numerous Hispanics.

"Latino communities and all communities of color in the U.S. are being affected disproportionately by the spread of coronavirus," LULAC said in its report. "How the government responds will impact the Latino community for years to come and set a precedent for how the U.S. government responds during times of crisis and how it deals with the exigent needs of underserved communities of color."

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