BY HELEN MEYERS AND PATTIE THOMPSON
CORYDON, Indiana - More than 300 members of United Food and
Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 227 are on strike against Tyson
Foods, the largest poultry producer in the United States.
Corydon is located about 30 miles northwest of Louisville,
Kentucky. This plant processes live chickens for store-ready
packages.
After four months of negotiations and three extensions, workers rejected the company's contract proposal in December. The company was demanding concessions in wages, benefits, and work rules, and wanted to gut union contract protections. About 150 workers set up the picket line January 3.
Ken Carthy, who has worked in the plant for the last two years, said, "They are trying to push us back 20 years. And then they don't want to talk to us." There have been no negotiations since the walkout.
The union fact sheet lists 21 takeaways in the company's contract. The line workers' average wage of $7.68 per hour would be frozen during the three-year contract. The wage progression, under which it currently takes 450 days to reach full rate, would be extended to three years. Two paid breaks would be eliminated, forcing workers to work 27 minutes longer for the same pay. Employee costs for health insurance would be increased by 60 percent, with no cap on future increases.
The company also rejected the union's food safety concerns, including the right of employees to refuse to process contaminated product or meat that had fallen on the plant floor or showed signs of disease.
Charlotte Matlock is one of five members of her household working at Tyson. Two other members of her family had been fired just one month before the strike began. She pointed out that most new hires don't make it through the 45-day probation. "The blood and gut contents get all over you. It's hard work, very repetitive, and the birds on the line fly by you so fast," she said.
About 20 people were staffing the picket line January 13 despite the rain. John "Stumpy" Willis, the chief union steward and member of the negotiating committee, said, "Less than 30 of the more than 300 hourly workers have crossed the picket line. Tyson has been bringing in temporary workers and using the supervisors and still is getting out about 58,000 chickens per day. They used to average 120-140,000 per day."
Community support has been strong. Signs scattered around the lot reflected visits by several other unionists and community organizations. "We never knew Tyson had so many enemies," said Alex Hernandez, the UFCW representative. He pointed to the squeeze Tyson has already forced on the farmers, hatchery workers, catchers, drivers, and feed mill workers as the reason.
Local outreach has also begun. Last week six strikers traveled to the Tyson stockholder meeting in Arkansas to distribute information on their strike.
Striker Debbie Berkheimer said, "I have been at the local food market explaining to customers that Tyson foremen make us pick up dirty or diseased chicken parts, tell us to wash them off and put them back on the line."
Helen Nance, who has 31 years in the plant, said, "To support us just don't buy their chicken."
Picketing is done on a public road that leads to the plant. The strikers have put up a small trailer and a tent. They also are planning to open a "meeting and feed" hall just across the creek from the picket line. Workers are picketing 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Bob Shaw, a maintenance worker, said the last strike at this plant was three years ago, against the previous owner, Hudson. It lasted three days. He says Tyson has no intention of letting this walkout end so quickly.
The local paper, the Corydon Democrat, reported, "Union officials for workers at Tyson are preparing for a strike that could last indefinitely."
Contracts at four other Tyson plants will expire later this year.
The local is asking for support. The union can be contacted at 1-800-443-5191, extension 115 and 123. Donations can be sent to the Strike Assistance Fund, c/o UFCW Local 227, 7902 Old Minors Lane, Louisville, KY 40219.
Pattie Thompson is a member of the International Association of Machinists. Helen Meyers is a member of the United Auto Workers.