The United Food and Commercial Workers Union wants the White House Coronavirus Task Force to prioritize five safety actions, including increasing worker testing, access to personal protective equipment and mandating social distancing. On Thursday, the Union hosted a nationwide call to show the impact the coronavirus is having on meat-packing workers on the front lines. One of the workers who answered questions works at the JBS meat packing plant in Marshalltown. On Monday, the mayor of Marshalltown told KCCI that at least 34 JBS employees tested positive for COVID-19. KCCI had asked JBS for that number, but the company wouldn't confirm any details, citing employee privacy. JBS employs approximately 2,400 people in Marshalltown. Now, a long-time employee describes working conditions inside the plant. "This virus, it's making us very nervous, because, we go to work with fear," said Margarita Heredia, JBS employee. "But, JBS in Marshalltown, they are doing a really good job by sanitizing everything. They bleach all the hallways. There's hand sanitizer everywhere."Heredia backed-up exactly what the county health officials told KCCI, that JBS is doing everything it can. But she said that id doesn't mean it's capable of doing everything recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. "As far as social distancing, it's almost impossible," Heredia said. "There's no room, especially with line speed, all the set up. It's almost impossible. And if the companies want to make some space between the workers, it's going to probably take years."

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union wants the White House Coronavirus Task Force to prioritize five safety actions, including increasing worker testing, access to personal protective equipment and mandating social distancing.



On Thursday, the Union hosted a nationwide call to show the impact the coronavirus is having on meat-packing workers on the front lines. One of the workers who answered questions works at the JBS meat packing plant in Marshalltown.


On Monday, the mayor of Marshalltown told KCCI that at least 34 JBS employees tested positive for COVID-19. KCCI had asked JBS for that number, but the company wouldn't confirm any details, citing employee privacy.

JBS employs approximately 2,400 people in Marshalltown. Now, a long-time employee describes working conditions inside the plant.

"This virus, it's making us very nervous, because, we go to work with fear," said Margarita Heredia, JBS employee. "But, JBS in Marshalltown, they are doing a really good job by sanitizing everything. They bleach all the hallways. There's hand sanitizer everywhere."

Heredia backed-up exactly what the county health officials told KCCI, that JBS is doing everything it can. But she said that id doesn't mean it's capable of doing everything recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

"As far as social distancing, it's almost impossible," Heredia said. "There's no room, especially with line speed, all the set up. It's almost impossible. And if the companies want to make some space between the workers, it's going to probably take years."