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| Labor Day Still Recognized at Tyson Foods, Kinda |
| 2008-08-05 |
| Press release. It appears they've noticed... Springdale, Arkansas – August 4, 2008 – Contrary to recent reports, Labor Day is still a holiday at Tyson Foods. This issue concerns only the plant at Shelbyville, TN. The majority of employees at the Tyson plant in Shelbyville, TN, are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Stores Union (RWDSU), an American union that asked for and received Eid al-Fitr, as one of their eight paid holidays, in place of Labor Day. This applies only to the Shelbyville plant and resulted as part of the union contract negotiated last fall. This change does not apply to Tyson Foods' other 118 plants. This is not a religious accommodation, rather, it is part of a union-initiated contract demand. So...blame the union, not us. And, sorry, but it is a religious accomodation... This change came about as a result of union demands brought to the negotiating table, and was agreed upon by Tyson in an effort to reach a contractual agreement with the union. The contract that calls for this change was unanimously recommended by the 12-person union bargaining committee, which included three Somali employees. The contract was then overwhelmingly agreed to by 80 percent of the rank and file membership of the union at the Shelbyville plant. Anybody tell them they were losing Labor Day in exchange for Eid? Or was that a "nice surprise"? The Muslim population at the Shelbyville plant is primarily composed of approximately 250 Somali employees, who are political refugees, most of whom came to the plant as a result of refugee resettlement efforts based in Nashville. They were employed at the plant through the Tennessee Department of Employment Security office. So blame the union. And the Tennessee Department of Employment Security. Not us. The Shelbyville complex employs approximately 1,200 people. Approximately 1,000 workers are covered by the union agreement at Shelbyville. Maybe time for a visit from ICE? |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #5 THE SIMPSONS > MILHOUSE - "THERE ALWAYS EATING CANDY IN SHELBYVILLE - THEY JUST LOVE THAT SWEET DELICIOUS TASTE [M. ready to blow stack here]"! First Candy, "someone's beautiful cousin" [Bart], now CHICKEN + A HOLIDAY > you just know MIL H. is going to have to really blow himself up now. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-08-05 20:07 |
| #4 Bet this is part of the UN Refugee program. |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2008-08-05 11:41 |
| #3 Labor Day is an official Tennessee holiday. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2008-08-05 10:56 |
| #2 It's a federal holiday, so you'd get time and a half I do believe. But hell, go for double time if you can get it! |
| Posted by: Uppity Wigger 2008-08-05 10:33 |
| #1 Someone from TN could probably know, but if TN has specified that Labor Day is a recognized 'holiday' then anyone working on that day is entitled to premium pay - double time. They may get another day 'off' at regular pay, but the pay requirements (x2) are usually stipulated by law [like Fair Labor and Standards Act] rather than by contract. However, states have a significant leeway in execution of these particulars. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-08-05 10:20 |