Soto replies to Grothe Tyson letter, calls for plant closure

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Editor’s note: Jorge Soto, a 2015 graduate of Perry High School, established the Call to Action: Protext Tyson Workers page on Facebook.

Mr. Grothe:

Thank you for your kind words. I can only imagine the hardships that management have had to grapple with during this pandemic, but your workers need substantive help, not mundane praise. Do you know the best way to ensure that every worker and their family members are safe? By SHUTTING DOWN THE PLANT.

Numerous plants across the Midwest, including many Tyson plants, have made the conscientious decision to effectively shut down their operations for a minimum of two weeks in order to ensure that their workers can properly quarantine and for management to take actions to effectively sanitize the workplace.

As you mentioned, there are thousands of workers who have sacrificed their well-being in order to sustain their livelihoods, but this short-sighted response doesn’t take into account the vulnerability that Tyson is forcing not only their employees but their families as well to experience.

Yes, these workers are indeed heroes — they are on the front lines, trying to provide not only for themselves and their families but for the entire country. So why have they not been adequately compensated? Other plants have given their heroes raises, adequate paid time off and have taken further provisions to ensure that their working conditions are better than adequate.

I agree that nobody should have to fear to go to work yet with all the provisions that Tyson’s management have attempted to enforce, sources from the inside have reported that workers are still very fearful. They are fearful that they are forced to work in an unsafe environment, fearful that there have already been deaths directly related to Tyson’s slow response, fearful that if they raise any concerns that it will cost them their jobs, and fearful that they are genuinely working themselves to death in order to appease their bosses.

The Perry Tyson plant has been consistently apprehensive about disclosing any information related to this pandemic and have kept the community in the dark for too long. It’s time for management to put their money where their mouth is and do right by their workers. Close the plant. Save lives while you still can before it’s too late.

Jorge Soto
Chicago

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