Tyson Foods: Not What Any Family Deserves
Workers at the Tyson Foods plant in Jefferson, Wisc., have been on strike since February 28. The 470 Local 538 members unanimously rejected the company's offer that would cut wages and risk the loss of medical treatment for workers' families. For a company whose motto is:"It's What Your Family Deserves," no working family—and no community—deserves the attack on living standards the giant meat processor has launched against workers at its Jefferson plant.
"We’ll stay out as long as it takes to get this contract resolved," said Nancy Thrasher. "Health care coverage is the big issue here, like it is all over the country. We can’t afford what Tyson is offering."
The Jefferson plant is part of Tyson’s most profitable division, but the company is insisting on a pay cuts and wage freezes, cuts and freezes to pension benefits, and unaffordable employee cost increases for health care coverage.
"This strike is really about family values," said Vikki Bostwick a plantworker for 16 years. "We took pride in our jobs. We make money for the company, then the company wants to turn around and take money out of our pockets." Bostwick, who had a baby girl just before strike started, said she had to have an emergency C-section. If she and her husband were covered under Tyson’s proposed plan, they would be facing at least a $15,000 medical bill now.
"Enough is enough," said Primo Renteria, a 20 year employee. "People are suffering. We can’t afford to pay for 50 percent of our health care coverage. Tyson can do better than that."
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Current Issue Archives |
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Corporate Greed vs. Human Need |
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Drawing the Line at Kroger |
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Local 655 Members Take a Stand |
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Strikes Loom in Arizona, Indiana |
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Tyson Foods: Not What Any Family Deserves |
