Demanding COVID-19 Protections for Smithfield Workers
In April 2020, we made headlines with our lawsuit against a Smithfield Foods pork plant in Milan, Missouri. RCWA and one courageous anonymous worker raised concerns about Smithfield’s failure to protect workers against coronavirus, even while other plants were closing due to tremendous outbreaks.
RCWA and workers in the area have seen great public support as the New York Times reported on the lawsuit, the Washington Post published a first-person account from Jane Doe, and other major news outlets brought our stories across the country.
On May 5, we learned that the court dismissed our lawsuit, finding that Smithfield had taken steps to address the issues our worker members had raised. While we disagree that those changes are enough, we know that any changes that have been implemented have been the result of brave workers who came forward to demand better conditions.
Read more about our lawsuit and its impact:
New York Times: Missouri Pork Plant Workers Say They Can’t Cover Mouths to Cough
Washington Post: I work at Smithfield Foods. I’m suing them over putting our lives at risk for your dinner.
NPR: Workers Sue Smithfield Foods, Allege Conditions Put Them At Risk For COVID-19
MSNBC: Meat plants become COVID-19 hotspots after poor handling of outbreaks
Inside Edition: Lives on the Line: What Essential Workers Say Meat Processing Plants Are Like as COVID-19 Blazes Through