AUGUST 11, 2024 — LAYOFF DANGER AT WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA PLANT
Published reports suggest that 450 to 1,000 jobs will be at risk at the company’s Wilkesboro, North Carolina chicken processing plant.
According to a company statement, “Due to increasing demand, we are shifting production in our Wilkesboro, NC facility to support our Tyson fully cooked products. As a result of these process changes, fewer positions will be required in the facility. Our priority is to help team members impacted by this change, and we are working with them to offer other opportunities at Tyson Foods.”
The fresh plant in Wilkesboro currently produces and packages fresh chicken products for retail sale in supermarkets, club stores, and fast-food restaurants. After the process changes, chicken will be processed at the fresh plant until it is ready to be shipped to Tyson facilities elsewhere for further processing and packaging for retail sale or other purposes.
JULY 7, 2024 — 1,200 EMPLOYEES IN PERRY, IOWA
The company plans to shutter its pork packing plant in Perry, Iowa and lay off all 1,276 employees.
According to a company spokesperson, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to permanently close our Perry, Iowa pork facility. We understand the impact of this decision on our team members and the local community. Taking care of our team members is our top priority and we encourage them to apply for other open roles within the company. We are also working closely with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted. While this decision was not easy, it emphasizes our focus to optimize the efficiency of our operations to best serve our customers. Iowa remains a key state for Tyson Foods, with employment of more than 9,000 team members across our other Iowa facilities."
SEPTEMBER 30, 2023 — WILKESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
Tyson Foods is laying off almost 250 employees at its plant in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. This appears to be a response to market conditions.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2023 — UPPING THE COUNT
Tyson is closing six chicken processing sites in Missouri, Indiana, Arkansas, and Virginia, laying off more than 4,600 employees.
Tyson’s announcement brings the total number of closures this year to six.
AUGUST 10, 2023 - TYSON TO CLOSE 4 PLANTS WITH 2,500+ LAYOFFS.
Tyson Foods has announced that it will close four plants located in North Little Rock, Arkansas, Corydon, Indiana, Noel, Missouri, and Dexter, Missouri. More than 2,500+ employees are at risk.
According to a company spokesperson, “Tyson Foods regrets that its team members must be displaced yet hopes to accomplish these closings with the least possible disruption to team members, their families, and the community.”
JUNE 4, 2023 — 252 SOUTH DAKOTA EMPLOYEES
The company has announced that it plans to lay off 262 corporate employees working at the Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, offices by the end of July 31, 2023.
Operations will be relocated to Springdale, Arkansas.
According to a company spokesperson, “The changes we are making will support greater opportunity for collaboration and timely decision-making. They will also allow for a more agile workforce with greater opportunities for development and advancement.”
MAY 14, 2023 — TYSON CLOSES VAN BUREN, ARKANSAS, AND GLEN ALLEN PLANTS
The company’s Van Buren chicken processing plant will be closing with major layoffs. The closing will impact 969 employees. Additionally, an older facility in Glen Allen, Virginia will close impacting 692 employees.
Operations will be transferred to new plants in Humboldt, Tennessee, and Danville, Virginia.
Tyson President and Chief Executive Officer Donnie King noted, “The company is facing unique challenges with all of its meat segments under pressure and underperforming all at the same time. The company faces broad economic challenges, including inflation and a softer export market and despite that, he's optimistic about the future and the company's long-term success.”
APRIL 27, 2023 — CORPORATE LAYOFFS
The company has announced that it is eliminating 15% of its senior leadership positions, typically vice president and senior vice president positions, and 10% of corporate roles
Tyson Chief Executive Donnie King noted, “This is not an easy day and we recognize it will be difficult for our team members. While this will require time to process, these decisions are necessary to continue executing our long-term strategy and, over time, will make Tyson Foods stronger”
“We will drive efficiency by focusing on fewer initiatives with greater intensity and removing duplication of work. For the past several years, we have had a bold and aggressive change agenda in place at Tyson Foods. We have taken significant steps to execute this strategy and invest in our future. Our decisions have been centered on organizational efficiency and agility, driving faster, prioritized decision-making, and investing in technology and digitalization for our team members and customers.”
A company spokesman said, "The company is constantly evaluating how it executes its strategy. The changes to its ranks will allow Tyson to operate with more speed, collaboration, and agility."
MARCH 20, 2023 — 2 PLANT CLOSURES WITH 1,700 LAYOFFS
Tyson Foods announced it will close its poultry processing, broiler, and hatching operations in Glen Allen, Virginia (700 employees), and in Van Buren, Arkansas (1,000 employees), which will result in the loss of roughly 1,700 workers in May 2023.
According to a company spokesperson, “The current scale and inability to economically improve operations have led to the difficult decision to close the facilities. The goal of the closures is to “strengthen our poultry business by optimizing operations and utilizing the full available capacity at each plant.”
OCTOBER 6, 2022 — RELOCATION OF CORPORATE EMPLOYEES TO HEADQUARTERS
The company has announced that it will consolidate operations and relocate around 1,000 corporate positions from its Illinois and South Dakota offices to its headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.
The relocation will impact corporate employees in corporate at its Chicago, Illinois, Downers Grove, Illinois, and Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, offices. The move is scheduled for early 2023.
Approximately 500 employees will be impacted in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, with the remaining 500 coming from Illinois.
JANUARY 21, 2022 — 200 LAYOFFS IN ROBARDS, KENTUCKY
According to a company statement…
"Tyson Foods’ fully cooked, value-added chicken products continue to meet the growing demand for convenience from consumers. Due to this growing demand, beginning Jan. 24, 2022, we are shifting our product mix to reflect consumer behaviors and meet the needs of our customers. Unfortunately, this change in product mix will result in reducing our workforce at that facility. However, all team members affected will receive relocation assistance to our nearby Humboldt and Shelbyville, Tennessee, facilities. We are also working with state and local agencies and officials to help ensure all team members, who choose not to relocate, are connected to the resources and assistance available to them."
AUGUST 14, 2021 — CLOSURE OF JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN PLANT WITH 62 LAYOFFS
The company has announced that it will close its Jefferson, Wisconsin seafood product preparation and packaging facility (operating under LD Foods) and lay off 62 employees between September 16, 2021, and October 10, 2021.
A company statement notes, “The closure has been prompted by the company’s decision to discontinue the product line produced at that location.”
FEBRUARY 28, 2020 — CLARIFICATION: 330 IT WORKER’S POSITIONS WERE OUTSOURCED
The company has clarified that it has outsourced 330 IT jobs to “accelerate the transformation of the company’s digital technology capabilities and reduce costs.” The speed and scale of new technology present a huge opportunity for us. While we’ve made significant progress over the past two years enhancing our computing systems and digital capabilities, we need to drive more rapid improvements in our digital transformation to remain competitive.”
These positions were included in the 500 positions that were previously mentioned as part of the reorganization.
FEBRUARY 24, 2020 — Previous post…
Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods, one of the largest meat processors in the world, has announced a corporate reorganization that will affect approximately 500 employees, mostly corporate office workers located in Springdale, Arkansas and Chicago, Illinois.
According to a company spokesperson, “We have an ongoing focus on financial fitness to make sure our business remains competitive. This means we’re continually reviewing our resources including staffing levels. We’ve recently reduced some roles and relocated others. It’s always difficult to eliminate and move jobs, and we’re doing this only after careful consideration.
The company seeks a further reduction in costs and headcounts by using technology and robotics.
Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?