Vol. 71/No. 11      March 19, 2007

Using videos, meetings in the plant, and full-page ads in local papers Tyson had threatened to cut pay and benefits and shut down the plant if the union won.

“It is completely possible that Tyson workers would end up with lower wages and benefits as a result of union negotiations,” stated a full-page ad by Tyson in the February 28 edition of La Semana, a local Spanish-language newspaper. “If the United Steelworkers enters here and carries out a prolonged strike, Tyson could decide to increase the operations in other plants… . The only way to make sure there is never a strike is to keep the plant union free.” The Tyson owners said in the ad that the recent USW strike against Goodyear did not result in any gains for the tire workers.

The USW began organizing here in January 2006. The union also helped build a rally of 3,000 here on April 10, 2006, to demand legalization of immigrants.

Frank Velazquez, a USW organizer, said, “The company’s anti-union activities just became too much to overcome,” reported the March 3 Hutchinson News. Other union organizers said prior to the election up to 200-300 Tyson workers attended pro-union meetings.

One worker with 10 years in the plant, who asked that his name not be published for fear of retaliation by the company, told the Militant that he supported the union and thought company harassment of workers on the job had declined because of the organizing drive. “I’ve worked at union plants before,” he said. “It’s better with a union. I hope that there is another union drive, but I don’t know what is going to happen.”

Maria Ortega, who has worked for three years in the plant, told the Militant she is for the union, and described job conditions. “I injured my shoulder and had to have surgery,” she said. “My doctor said I needed to be on light duty, but the company tried to make me work the day of my surgery. When I did go back to work, my doctor said I could only work with one hand, but they told me to work with both hands or go home.”

The March 3 issue of the Garden City Telegram reported that many Tyson workers “raised concerns about safety at the plant. The main concern has been with the plant’s speed of the production chain, with pro-union workers stating their safety and work are dictated by a chain that never slows down, even when an employee is injured, at risk for injury or the production line lacks a sufficient number of workers.”

The Telegram said Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson stated that line speeds are set by industrial engineers according to the number of workers needed to “safely, yet effectively” process meat. Occupational Safety and Health Administration logs show 452 job injuries in the plant in 2006 and one fatality.

Discussions with workers in the area illustrated the polarization the bosses’ antiunion campaign created.

One worker said “Union no!” and closed his door when asked about the vote. Another worker with 12 years at Tyson, who asked that his name not be used, said he voted against the union. “I have car payments to make,” he said. “Times are tough in this town.” A third said he was glad the company won, and that there is no difference with or without the union. Meanwhile, his next-door neighbor had a sign in front of his home saying in Spanish, “Vote Union—Vote Yes!—USW.”

The last union drive here failed in 2000, when more than 1,800 workers voted against either the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) or the United Workers Independent Union.

Lauro Ortega, who has 14 years in the plant, told the Telegram that the vote “leaves a bad taste in your mouth. But there’s more work to be done to keep fighting injustice… . This is not the end of it. Just the beginning.”

In its March 3 article, headlined “Union veto a surprise to some,” the Telegram said that some of those involved in the organizing campaign expressed surprise at the 74 percent vote against the union.

The same week as the vote at Tyson, the UFCW announced an organizing drive at the National Beef plant in Dodge City, some 45 miles east of Garden City. One National Beef worker interviewed by the Militant here on the condition of anonymity said that the UFCW had begun passing out leaflets. Workers at the Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Dodge City and the National Beef plant in nearby Liberal are UFCW members.  
 
 
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