40 CFIA meat plant inspectors, including 21 in Alberta, test positive for COVID-19: Union
Source: Global News
May 14, 2020 - Forty meat plant inspectors with the CFIA, including 21 working in Alberta facilities, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus according to the union representing the inspectors.
Agriculture Union president Fabian Murphy told Global News on Wednesday that since the middle of April, cases among food inspectors have been steadily rising.
Of the 37 inspectors stationed at the Cargill Meat Solutions plant in High River, Alta. — the site of one of the biggest outbreaks in the country — 18 have tested positive for the virus, according to Murphy.
“As the employer, CFIA is responsible to protect the health and safety of these folks, and I think, unless they can guarantee that there’s a safe environment there, then those plants should be shut down and those people should not have to go to work there.”
In an emailed statement, the CFIA told Global News it was aware of 39 positive cases among employees.