Workers at a George’s chicken plant in Springdale walked off the production line Tuesday to protest a lack of pandemic social-distancing practices.
The company, which supplies chicken to Walmart, KFC and other buyers, recently ended staggered shifts at one of its Springdale plants, the protesters said, a move that would increase the proximity of workers in shift changes.
About 30 workers, mostly native Spanish-speakers and Marshallese, stood outside the Kansas Street facility for hours.
Venceremos, a human-rights group, helped workers organize the protest. Founder and organizer Magaly Licolli said workers had recently asked for safer working conditions and increased hazard pay, and “management has refused to listen to them.”
George’s spokesman Daniel Workman said the company had “no comment to make at this time” about the protest or whether managers shut down or slowed the production line in response.
The private, family-owned chicken company said on its website that it has worker-safety measures in place, such as plastic-glass dividers and staggered start shift times.
This story was originally published at 12:45 p.m.