Union rallies as Cargill meat plant reopens after shutdown due to COVID-19

HIGH RIVER, Alta. – A massive meat-packing plant in southern Alberta has reopened for business two weeks after it was shutdown due to a large outbreak of COVID-19.

A long line of cars and buses waited to enter the Cargill plant in High River, south of Calgary, which was closed temporarily on April 20.

The union that represents the workers held a rally on the edge of the property and handed out face masks to anyone who needed them.

There have been more than 900 cases of the illness and one death among the 2,000 workers at the slaughterhouse.

The union has been seeking a stop-work order at Cargill, arguing conditions are unsafe for workers.

Hearings before the Labour Relations Board began on the weekend and are continuing.

News from © The Canadian Press Enterprises 2020