Tyson Shuttered a Plant and Laid Off 2,500 Workers Overnight
Tyson, one of the world's largest meatpacking companies, has closed its plant in Joslin, Illinois, leaving 2,500 workers jobless, mostly migrants from Africa, Latin America, and Myanmar.
The workers, represented by Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1546, were allegedly given no reason for the closure.
A union agreement signed with Tyson after the closure announcements says workers will be paid severance pay of one to four weeks and two months of payments. However, workers reportedly feel this is not enough and have been protesting.
Tyson cited the nationwide cattle shortage as the reason for the closure. However, reporting by Jacobin says the closure is driven by corporate consolidation from both meatpacking companies (including the 'Big Four' - Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef) and retail companies like Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, and Albertsons. This enables these companies to collude to lower prices paid to ranchers and packers. This in turn depresses workers' wages, according to the reporting.