Windsor Star printing facility halts production after worker tests positive for COVID-19

The Windsor Star printing plant is down after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.

Last Thursday, an employee came to work sick, said Sandy Matheson, president of Unifor Local 517G. The employee was tested and results came back Sunday, which is when the employer contacted Matheson.

"He did have symptoms when he came in and it's disappointing that one of our members would come into work while having symptoms," said Matheson.

The facility was closed on Sunday and cleaned, but has yet to restart production.

"The paper is being printed in Islington and work for the other group is being done in London," he said. "It's being done until further notice at this point."

Matheson hasn't spoke to the worker but said the employee was told to self-isolate. Other workers are following suit, with many concerned for their fellow employees.

"They're worried about themselves too, because obviously if the person had the symptoms we all know now that someone could have been contagious long before that," Matheson said.

Unifor Local 517G has 37 members working at the Windsor plant, but two other unions have workers there. Matheson said24 full-time employees will be paid, but the 13 part-time employees would be laid off.