t’s not everyday that you see an example of the contrasting treatment of Union versus Non-Union workers… in the same company.
Tyson is in the process of laying off 1,600 poultry plant workers across Virginia and Arkansas. What is interesting is, the workers in Virginia are organized, represented by the UFCW Local 400. According to reports, they will get a severance package: vacation payouts, and health insurance. On the other hand, the workers in Arkansas, who are not unionized, are allegedly not receiving the same severance package; they’re not receiving any severance, period.
“Exact same company, same type of work being done… And I can’t imagine the standard of living — where it is in Virginia and where it is in Arkansas — is all that different…. [And yet] just totally different treatment of these workers as they’re being laid off,” said Jacob Morrison, commenting on the situation during a broadcast of The Valley Labor Report. “Two different contexts; one where they have a collective bargaining agreement that lays out conditions for laying people off… and one where the workers don’t have that, and we’re seeing the effects of that.”
Upon learning about this, the non-unionized workers in Arkansas have gone on strike.
This is a great example of why workers need to organize.
For more information and comments, watch the full clip on YouTube: