The union, which represents about 80 per cent of meatpacking workers, on Monday confirmed a Reuters news report that cited the 30 to 50 per cent absenteeism figures for the second week of June.
Reuters said major pork packers were operating at about 75 per cent capacity, according to the union, which stressed that absenteeism varies by plant, roughly 20 of which have been closed, and later reopened.
Cargill, National Beef and Smithfield Foods — all referenced by Reuters as contending with high rates of absenteeism — did not immediately return requests by Meatingplace Magazine for comment.
Tyson Foods said there has been “substantial improvement” at its pork plants at Waterloo and Columbus Junction in Iowa since it began widespread COVID-19 testing in April.
