Concerned about plant employees, 17 organizations send joint letter to governor

An executive order signed Tuesday encourages plants to remain open amid outbreaks

PRESIDENT TRUMPORDERED ALL MEATPROCESSING PLANTSTO REMAIN OPENDURING THISPANDEMIC..SEVERAL FACILITIESACROSS THE STATEARE EXPERIENCINGLARGE NUMBERS OFCOVID-19 CASES.SOME SAY -- MORENEEDS TO BE DONETO PROTECTWORKERSINVESTIGATOR JEFFVAN SANT HAS THESTORYNAT MANY MEATPLANTS ACROSSNEBRASKA AREPLAGUED WITHCOVID-19 ..15:05:00 WECONSTANTLY HEARVARIOUS WORKERSAND THEIR FAMILYMEMBERS SEE HOWTHEY SEE WORKERSONE DAY AND THENEXT DAY THEY AREGONE..THE REASON ..NO ONE KNOWS..AND NO ONE TELLSTHEM..GLADYS GODINEZ HASFAMILY WORKING ATTYSONS CHICKENPLANT IN LEXINGTON.13:52:21 ITS ALMOSTEVERYDAY I HEAR THESTORY OF ADAUGHTER FEARFULOF LOSING HERPARENTS WORKING ATTHE PLANT..THE STORY OF AGRANDCHILD LOSINGTHEIR GRANDMOTHERAFTER CONTRACTINGCOVID THRUTHEIRGRANDPA WHO STILLWORKS AT THEPLANT..NAT IN GRAND ISLANDTHE TOWNS LARGESTEMPLOYER THE JBSBEEF PLANT HASREPORTED OVER 230CASES OF COVID-19..HALL COUNTY HASOVER 930 CASES THE2ND OF LARGEST PERCAPITA IN THE ENTIRECOUNTRY.PRESIDENT DONALDTRUMP ORDEREDMEAT PLANTS TO STAYOPEN..AFTER SEVERAL SHUTDOWNS RAISINGCONCERNS ABOUTMEAT SHORTAGES..34:33 I THINK TAKINGAWAY A TOOL OFCLOSING A PLANT..IS PROBLEMATIC..THAT HAS BEEN ONEOF THE WAYS INOTHER STATES WHENTHE SPREAD HASJUST GOTTENBEYOND WHAT ISMANAGEABLE..THATPLANTS HAVEBEEN ABLE TOPROTECT THEIRWORKERS BECKYGOULD IS EXECUTIVEDIRECTOR OFAPPLESEED A LOCALADVOCACY GROUP..SHE IS PUSHING FORFEDERAL..STATE AND LOCALLEADERS TO PUTBETTER SAFETYMEASURES IN PLACEFOR MEAT ANDCHICKEN PLANTS LIKESOCIAL DISTANCINGBETTER PROTECTIVEGEAR ..AND PAID LEAVE..A SMITHFIELD PLANTIN CRETE..WAS SET TO CLOSETODAY BUT WILLREMAIN OPEN..A FAMILY MEMBER OFA WORKER SAY THEPLANT WAS SLOW TORESPOND TOPANDEMIC..SHE DIDNT WANT TOGIVE HER NAME ORSHOW HER FACE..NEARLY 5O CASESHAVE BEENREPORTERED AT THEPLANT SO FAR..7:30:11 WE BECAMEMORE CONCERNEDWHEN THEY TOLD USTHAT THE WORKERSWOULD BE RECEIVINGA 500 DOLLAR BONUSBUT ONLY IF THEYSHOWED UP TO WORKEVERYDAY FOR THEMONTH OF APRIL..PLANTS AREIMPLEMENTING NEWSAFETY PROCEDURESLIKE IN GRANDISLAND BUT WORKERADVOCATES SAYMORE NEEDS TO BEDONE..LIVES ARE ON THELINE..JEFF VAN SANT 3NEWS NOW..YOU CAN FIND ALL