Battle Over Jurisdiction Ensues in Tyson Foods COVID-19 Death Case

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The parties in a case accusing Tyson Foods Inc. of causing a worker’s death by failing to implement COVID-19 safety measures and protocols in its Iowa meatpacking plant are battling over whether a federal court has jurisdiction over the claims.

In recent filings in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, Tyson insists that it was acting under federal direction by continuing operations in its Waterloo, Iowa, pork processing facility. The plaintiff, however, contends that Tyson violated state law in failing to protect its workers from contracting the COVID-19 virus; therefore, the case …