In our latest episode of the Work in the West podcast, industrial relations researcher Sean Tucker discusses the large-scale infection and deaths of workers in Alberta’s meatpacking industry due to COVID-19, particularly at the Cargill plant at High River.
In the spring of 2020, the Cargill High River plant was the site of the largest single workplace outbreak of the coronavirus in North America, with over 950 workers infected. Three workers died. Another major outbreak occurred at the JBS plant at Brooks, Alberta, linked to the death of at least one worker and several community members.