Cargill meat plant in High River, Alta., ‘idles’ processes amid coronavirus outbreak
A coronavirus outbreak at a meat-packing facility in High River, Alta., has led operators to “temporarily idle” processes.
Effective Monday, April 20, employees at the Cargill Meat Solutions plant were starting the process of idling operations, the company said in an emailed statement.
Cargill didn’t specify what it meant to “idle” the operations, nor what it meant for the plant’s employees.
An outbreak at the facility has been linked to at least 358 cases of COVID-19, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said on Friday.
The company made changes to its operations early last week, when the number of cases among staff was reportedly 38, according to the union representing the workers.
As a means of reducing exposure and risk, Cargill reduced shifts at the plant, eliminating its second daily shift and offering employees who were healthy enough to work hours on the first shift.
On Friday, the Opposition NDP called on the UCP government to shut the plant down until it could be deemed safe for employees as well as the surrounding community.
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“Considering the community-wide impacts of the virus, we encourage all employees to get tested for the COVID-19 virus as now advised by Alberta Health Services as soon as possible,” Cargill said in its statement.
“This was a difficult decision for our team who are operating an essential service and are committed to delivering food for local families, access to markets for ranchers, products for our customers’ shelves and jobs for local employees.”
Cargill said its employees are the “everyday heroes of the food system,” adding the company cares deeply about them.
“To prevent food waste, we will process approximately three million meals currently in our facility as quickly as possible,” Cargill said.
“We greatly appreciate our employees who are working to complete this effort.”
Cargill said Alberta Health Services approves and supports all public health protocols the company has taken in light of the outbreak, which included telling employees who are sick not to come to work, offering paid leave to employees for COVID-19-related issues, and enhancing cleaning and sanitizing at the facility.
“While this location is temporarily idled and we adapt to operating during a pandemic, our work doesn’t stop,” the company said.
“Cargill provides an essential service to Canada — producing food that nourishes people. We are working with farmers and ranchers, our customers and our employees to supply food in this time of crisis and keep markets moving.”
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