COVID Outbreak: Union Wants Mission Foods Plant Closed For Cleaning And Quarantine Pay For 200 Workers
PUEBLO, Colo. (CBS4) -- A local union is asking that the Mission Food Plant in Pueblo be shut down for deep cleaning after another outbreak of COVID-19. Eight additional UFCW Local 7 members have been confirmed COVID-19 positive at the plant -- following the outbreak of six cases there this past June. The plant has 200 workers.
The health department says one in 29 people are currently contagious in Pueblo. The statewide average is roughly one in 41.
"We request that the plant be temporarily closed for 14 days to conduct deep sanitization of the facilities to stop further contagion," Kim Cordova, President of UFCW Local 7 stated.
"In addition, we are asking for quarantine pay, since workers will have to quarantine at home for 14 days to limit community spread," Cordova stated.
Union officials say the county is required to enforce the Level Red coronavirus restrictions that went into effect on Nov. 22.
Mission Foods is a Mexican-owned tortilla company that sells products under various name brands.
