With the Covid -19 - interrupted Nebraska legislative session quickly moving along, state labor organizations along with other advocacy groups step up calls to protect meatpacking industry workers.
Organizers demonstrate at the state capitol, telling lawmakers they believe a workplace safety crisis exists in the meatpacking industry.
Protesters say COVID - 19 has changed the reality of immigrant workers in Nebraska packing houses.
“My father on Friday had a heart attack at work. He had to wait 45 minutes to get attention,” Maury Vasquez told 6 News. His father is in the hospital.
Demonstrators say there's a need for more than federal guidelines to protect workers from COVID -19.
“We need to pass protections for them,” said Sue Martin, President of the Nebraska State AFL - CIO.
“We need to make sure these protections are enforced, and since we are not getting this done at a national level, we’re looking to our state senators to do something to help.”
Demonstrators want paid sick leave for those who test positive for the virus, more protective gear, social distancing and testing.
Legislative rules would have to be suspended to get such a bill introduced at this point in the session.