Smalls says colleague died in a break room; describes injuries and company response as 'swept under the rug'

Chris Smalls said that as the Carteret, N.J., facility expanded, workplace injuries rose and that he witnessed a co-worker collapse in the break room and later be pronounced dead at a hospital. "We watched them pretty much carry her out... and she was pronounced dead," Smalls said, adding that "the company swept it under the rug" and people returned to work the next day as if nothing had happened.

He used the incident to illustrate a pattern of safety problems and to explain why organizers pressed public health and safety concerns during the pandemic-era protests. Smalls framed the company's reaction as symptomatic of a broader culture that prioritized productivity over worker well-being.