GLEN ALLEN, VA (March 13, 2023) – Today, President Mark Federici of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 Union, which represents close to 700 workers at the Tyson Foods plant in Glen Allen, Va., released the following statement regarding the company’s plan to close the facility in May:
“It is with deep disappointment that we learned today of the imminent closure of the Tyson Foods facility in Glen Allen, Virginia. It has been our honor and privilege to represent the workers at this plant for decades, and we were appalled by today’s news and the terrible impact it will have on close to 700 of our union members.
“These men and women risked their lives and the safety of their families to keep this plant operational during the pandemic, and this is the thanks they get? This is not how we show gratitude to essential workers in Virginia. Rest assured, our union will do everything in our power to help our members and their families through this difficult time.
“Regrettably, the company provided our union with no advanced notice with which to prepare our members for this news. To make matters worse, Tyson Foods has received untold sums of taxpayer dollars to open a new facility in Pittsylvania County after promising to provide 400 jobs. But with at least 700 jobs eliminated by the closure of the Glen Allen plant, Tyson Foods will continue to reap the lavish benefits of taxpayer dollars while Virginia will have 300 fewer jobs. What a disgraceful waste.”
Background:
The Tyson Foods facility is located at 13264 Mountain Road, Glen Allen, Virginia 23059. As required under the WARN Act, Tyson Foods VP Labor Relations, Rick Nimrick, informed workers on March 13 that the plant will be closing and close to 700 union workers will lose their jobs.
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United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 is led by President Mark Federici and represents 35,000 members working in the grocery, retail, health care, food processing, service and other industries in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. www.ufcw400.org