STEELEVILLE, Ill. (KMOX) - The second of two plants at the center of the coronavirus outbreak in Randolph County, Illinois will be closing down for two weeks after Friday, with just enough employees working to keep the nation’s Chick-fil-A restaurants stocked with breading.
Related: Nationwide Meat Shortage to Reach Peak Amid Coronavirus PandemicWith hundreds already furloughed, 35 workers will be in Gilster Mary-Lee’s Steeleville plant during each shift Thursday and Friday. Next week, they’ll move to the Chester, Ill. plant which has been closed for cleaning for the past two weeks. Randolph County State’s Attorney Jeremy Walker tells KMOX it’s an acceptable arrangement.
"Certainly, it has caused concern not only from us but certainly Gilster as well," he says. "They have been wonderful to work for and I think they understand the gravity of the situation. We just want to allow them to operate and be safe."
Walker says it's a real balancing act.
"We don't want to do anything to cripple one of our biggest employers, if not the biggest employer, and an economic engine for the county," Walker says. "But, at the same time, we have to balance that interest with the effect it could have on human life."
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