Workers at Brandon’s Maple Leaf Foods plant say the company and provincial government are passing the blame onto them for spreading COVID-19 in the facility.
On Monday, 74 workers had been confirmed to have COVID-19. Sixty-two cases were active, according to the union.
“We workers are crying for help,” the workers’ union said in an open letter published by advocacy group Migrante Manitoba.
In a press conference Monday, Manitoba’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said the cluster of cases didn’t originate in the plant and said the sick people just “happen to work” there.
In the letter, the workers allege the plant revamped their locker rooms, which made them crowded and social distancing difficult.
Workers also said provisions for social distancing are not available in bathrooms.
The union has maintained its call for the Maple Leaf plant to shut down until COVID-19 cases reach a more manageable level.
In the letter, workers also called for a two-week shutdown, site-wide testing, job security and wage protection while the facility is closed.
The company has countered that it takes worker safety seriously, has implemented a number of measures to prevent spread of the virus and intends to continue operating.
