Home » Press Room » Archived Press Releases » Press Releases 2000 » Tyson Agrees to Settlement of Unfair Labor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 3, 2000

Tyson Agress to Settlement for Unfair Labor Practices in Georgia Plant
Workers Get Thousands in Back Pay

One year ago, religious leaders gathered in an Albany, Georgia church and prayed for justice for the Tyson workers in Vienna, Georgia. Today, some of those prayers have been answered. Three workers received a settlement from their charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board for Tyson's illegal anti-union activity.

The three workers were singled out in the plant for their strong support for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 1996. With the support of the UFCW, the workers filed charges against the company for illegally firing and intimidating the three workers. Tyson settled the charges and agreed to pay more than $18,000 in lost wages to the workers.

"Tyson subjected these three workers to horrible intimidation and harassment simply because they stood up for their legal right to a voice on the job. It took us a year of fighting. We are thrilled that after all this time, these three workers finally have some vindication for the abuse they suffered at Tyson's hands," said George Saleeby, UFCW Southeast Regional Director.

The union supporters charged that Tyson supervisors engaged in widespread violations of the federal law that protects the right of workers to unionize, including:

  • Threats to close the Vienna, Georgia plant if workers chose a union.
  • Illegal interrogation of workers.
  • Discipline against union supporters and/or relatives, friends and associates of union supporters in order to influence the outcome of the election.
  • Promises of benefits such as parties, and a "big surprise" for workers if they rejected union representation.
  • Threats of job loss and withheld pay raises if workers did not reject union representation.
The Board-negotiated settlement with Tyson supports the UFCW's claim that the union election results were tainted by the company's illegal conduct. An election cannot be conducted in an atmosphere of threats, coercion and intimidation. This is not the American way.

"While this settlement is vindication for the three workers involved in the charges, a thousand more Tyson workers continue to suffer the effects of the company's illegal anti- union behavior during the union election. For big companies like Tyson, this settlement is a slap on the wrist and incites other employers to create an anti-union atmosphere when workers stand up for a voice on the job. It's time Tyson changes it's tune, acts like a responsible corporate citizen and respects its workers' rights," said Bill Schmitz, Director of the UFCW Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division.

The UFCW is committed to protecting workers at the Vienna Tyson plant and will continue to organize workers at Tyson Foods. The UFCW is the largest private-sector union in North America with 1.4 million members in poultry, meat packing, food processing, retail food, health care, garment, chemical and distillery industries. The UFCW currently represents Tyson workers in 20 of its 60 poultry plants.

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