UFCW Statement on Tyson Foods Closing Joslin, Ill. Beef Plant

Plant closure to impact over 2,000 UFCW Local 1546 members

JOSLIN, ILL. - Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) and UFCW Local 1546, which represents over 2,000 workers at the Tyson Foods beef plant in Joslin, released statements in response to the announced closure of the plant. Tyson Foods intends to close the Joslin plant, a case-ready facility in Eagle Mountain, Utah, and put its Pasco, Wash., plant up for sale.

UFCW Local 1546 President and UFCW International Vice President Robert O'Toole said:

"The closure of the Tyson Foods beef plant in Joslin, Illinois, this week follows a troubling downward trend in the meatpacking industry and greatly impacts the livelihoods of our union brothers and sisters who worked for this company, like a tornado ripping through the community.

"UFCW Local 1546 has a long-standing and proud union partnership with Tyson Foods, and we were extremely disappointed in not receiving advance notice of this news. If given the opportunity, we could have sat down and found an economic solution to keep this plant operating, but sadly our voice was silenced.

"Our local union stands firm with the over two thousand skilled members who have worked tirelessly day and night to sustain our nation's food supply and have now had their careers ripped out from underneath them without warning. We remain committed to doing everything in our power, including working closely with our legislative and community allies and our state and local union affiliates, to provide the necessary resources to ease them through this unfortunate transition."

UFCW International President Milton Jones said:

"Over the last year, we've seen how plant closures impact rural communities, and the closure of Tyson Foods in Joslin, Illinois, is no different. Thousands of workers lose their jobs, families are faced with uncertainty, and a local economy is left without a major employer.

"Meatpacking workers urgently need to see long-term solutions in the beef industry to combat the record-low cattle herd, or else cuts to workers' hours and plant closures will continue. This requires a unified, proactive approach from both government and industry stakeholders. The USDA and the Trump administration must offer realistic solutions to these headwinds, and industry giants must be creative with their operations to keep workers working, as JBS did in Souderton, Pennsylvania."

###

The UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, retail, and other essential industries. UFCW members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.

UFCW Local 1546 is part of the UFCW International, the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, retail, meatpacking, food processing, cannabis, healthcare, and other essential industries. Learn more about UFCW Local 1546 at ufcwlocal1546.org.

CONTACT: Finn Storer - UFCW International [email protected]
Jeff Weiss - UFCW Local 1546 [email protected]