Class-action lawsuit alleges meat packer failed to take coronavirus precautions in Alberta

A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Cargill Ltd. that claims the meat-packing company failed to take reasonable precautions to protect its workers in Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cargill’s beef plant near High River, south of Calgary, employs about 2,200 people. It shut down for two weeks in April because of an outbreak that affected 350 staff.

It reopened after bringing in safety measures that included temperature testing, physical distancing, cleaning and sanitizing.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: Animal activists protest working conditions at Cargill meat-packing plant 

Eventually nearly half of the workers contracted the virus and two employees died.

The lawsuit, which needs to be approved by a judge, was filed by Guardian Law Group and seeks damages for the harm done to family members, friends and other people who were in close contact with Cargill employees who contracted the novel coronavirus.

READ MORE: Coronavirus pandemic lawsuits could tie up courts for years, experts say

The plaintiffs do not include the employees themselves, who are covered by labour and worker compensation laws.

The statement of claim alleges that despite warnings and guidelines issued by the Alberta government, Cargill Ltd. failed to take “reasonable precautions” at the beginning of the outbreak to limit its spread.

READ MORE: Canada’s meat industry expected to increase safety measures amid COVID-19 

“This is a sophisticated facility and a company well-versed in proper safety procedures. That’s why it’s so shocking to see them fall so far below the standard of acceptable behaviour that we expect from employers in this situation,” said Mathew Farrell of Guardian Law Group Friday.

“Businesses bear a responsibility to the community to take reasonable measures to limit the spread of this disease, and where they fail to do so, we will hold them to account for the harms that result.”

The allegations have not been proven in court. Cargill did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The High River plant is back at full operation and processes about 4,500 head of cattle a day — more than one-third of Canada’s beef-packing capacity.

Cargill Ltd. is a subsidiary of U.S.-based Cargill Inc., one of the largest privately owned corporations in the United States by revenue.

Watch below: Some Global News videos about COVID-19 cases linked to the Cargill meat plant in High River.

1:04 Second Cargill employee to die from COVID-19 ‘humble, gentle family man’

• Second Cargill employee to die from COVID-19 ‘humble, gentle family man’
• Prime minister weighs in on Cargill situation as another death is linked to plant
• Employees return to work at Cargill meat-packing plant
• ‘I want to find a way to join my wife’: emotional widower of Cargill worker shares his loss after losing wife to COVID-19
• Cargill meat-packing plant reopens after COVID-19 shutdown
• Cargill workers’ union protests as plant near High River reopens
• Union representing Cargill workers speaks amid ongoing discussions
• Alberta NDP call for inquiry into Cargill outbreak
• Cargill plant gets ready to reopen in High River prompting anger from union reps
• Hinshaw says additional measures being put in place for Cargill re-opening
• 480 COVID-19 cases linked Cargill, 124 to JBS Foods meat plants in southern Alberta

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