Interview with Solidarity for Meatpacking Plant Workers

Last Saturday, nearly 60 cars filled the parking lot of St. Mary’s cathedral with a purpose: to show their support for Nebraska’s essential workers.

"This group that's hosting the vigils in Grand Island, in Lexington, in Crete, we are just community members from all across the state," says Danielle Helzer, one of the organizers for the group.

The group is called Solidarity for Meatpacking Plant Workers. Their goal, to bring the spotlight to Nebraska’s food industry workers to make sure they are recognized and, most of all, protected.

"JBS is the largest employer in Grand Island," says Helzer, "and what impacts the workers at JBS impacts all of us as a community."

"I got involved just having conversations with people, with Danielle, and others who have similar mindsets," says Jacqueline Meier, one of the attendees at the vigil in Grand Island.

"We've either had family members or friends who have worked here or are working here currently."

It’s a grassroots effort, so they encourage anyone interested to join the ranks. The vigil last Saturday isn’t the last of the group’s plans: there are more events and public showings still to come.

"We are holding our events every Saturday at 2:15 PM," says Helzer. "We're meeting at St. Mary's Cathedral. People are encouraged to decorate their cars, to window chalk their cars with positive messages, or they can take some of our posters that we have and they can put them in their cars as well."

Their Facebook page can is here: https://bit.ly/3bJCxgg