The labor union suing Foster Farms over COVID safety conditions at one of its poultry processing plants in the Central Valley is calling a court ruling that has just been handed down a "victory."
The Superior Court of California in Merced County issued a tentative ruling on Wednesday that requires Foster Farms to comply with a local health order, which among other things, requires the company to provide face masks and face shields, enhance sanitation and install dividers where social distancing is difficult.
Merced County Health officials ordered Foster Farms to close the plant in September because of an outbreak in which about 400 workers were infected and at least eight people died.
The plant was allowed to reopen about a week later after conducting a deep cleaning and widespread COVID-19 testing.
But the United Farm Workers labor union claims that Foster Farms has not been following safety protocols since the plant reopened.
The union's Director of Alternative and Digital Organizing Elizabeth Strater told KCBS Radio: "At this point this has been a last resort for us. We were really hoping to compel Foster Farms to make the changes needed to protect the workers at its facilities, but as well to protect the general public health from an ongoing outbreak that comes on the heels of a catastrophic outbreak that happened in September."
"We are finding today a victory," she said. "Today is a bit of a cold victory. We should not have to go to court to compel companies to follow the law."
In a statement provided to KCBS Radio, Foster Farms said: "Foster Farms does not comment on active litigation in detail but believes that further adjudication will demonstrate that the company is already in compliance with required protective measures for its workforce, and that the United Farm Workers lawsuit is without merit."
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