Bonamici Calls on State, Pacific Seafood to Hold Virtual Community Meeting to Address Concerns

WASHINGTON, DC [09/29/20] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) requested that the Oregon Health Authority and Pacific Seafood hold a virtual community meeting to provide information and address community concerns about the significant COVID-19 outbreak at Pacific's Warrenton facility that resulted in approximately 100 people testing positive for COVID-19.

The Congresswoman made her request in a letter to Oregon Health Authority and Pacific Seafood, which can be found here and below.

Dear Director Allen,

I am deeply concerned about the significant workplace outbreak of COVID-19 at Pacific Seafood's Warrenton facility, an outbreak that is now approximately 100 positive cases. In the outreach my office has done with local leaders, we have learned that the community lacks information about this outbreak and urgently needs answers that will expedite containment of the spread in this small, rural community. I request that you work with Pacific Seafood to convene a virtual community meeting, with simultaneous Spanish language interpretation, as soon as possible so members of the public can ask questions and receive information.

Some of the questions that I've heard from the community include:

• What prompted the testing for night shift workers that resulted in 77 positive cases last week?
• What steps are being taken to maintain physical distancing, handwashing, and face coverings in worker housing and are there any new procedures in the Warrenton facility to protect the health and safety of workers?
• Are the workers who tested positive quarantined?
• What is the status of contact tracing related to this outbreak?
• What financial and other support is there for quarantined workers, including H1-B workers?
• Was the Warrenton facility completely closed to workers? If so, how long will it remain closed, and what supports are provided for workers who are not currently working?
• Will Pacific deep clean the facility?
• Have any OSHA complaints been filed since June related to COVID procedures? If so, did Pacific take any steps to address the workers' concerns, even in cases in which OSHA dismissed the complaint?

This outbreak threatens the health, well-being, and economic stability of many Clatsop County residents, including businesses and workers who are afraid of a new wave of closures. Additionally, local students are affected because the outbreak has caused the school district to revert to remote rather than in-person learning. Statewide, the Latinx community has been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 and they are likely overrepresented in this outbreak as well.

The public needs and deserves to know what the State of Oregon and Pacific Seafood are doing to protect the health of our community, now and in the future.

These are challenging times for those in public service, but our work has never been more important. I look forward to your response to this request, which I will also communicate directly to the leadership at Pacific Seafood.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Bonamici
Member of Congress