Somali chicken plant workers take on Pilgrim’s Pride, and win
Meat plants are coronavirus hotspots. Employees stand shoulder to shoulder on crowded lines. They labor in enclosed spaces, where cold air is recirculated to keep meat chilled. And the government has ordered them to stay open. Workers who catch the virus at work have little recourse for justice, but that didn’t stop the Somali immigrants at a Pilgrim’s Pride plant in Minnesota from taking on Goliath. Quartz reports that after a walkout and public protest, the company, which takes in around $11 billion each year, decided to tackle a rapidly growing outbreak—one of the largest in the state. Among the fixes? Letting sick workers stay home without getting fired.
