(John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
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Workers at Tyson Foods Inc.’s beef plant in Amarillo, Texas, have agreed to a strike as they fight for higher wages and accuse the company of unfair labor practices.
Members of Teamsters Local 577 voted by a 98% margin to authorize the move, the union said in a statement. The group represents 3,100 workers in slaughtering and processing at the facility, which it says is the largest beef processing plant in the U.S.
“This facility is essential to the beef supply chain,” said Al Brito, president of Local 577. “If Tyson’s corporate leadership doesn’t start demonstrating some basic humanity, we will be forced to take action.”
A strike would deal a blow to Tyson at a time when the company’s beef operations are already contending with a severe shortage of cattle and President Donald Trump’s restrictions on the immigrant labor the meatpacking industry has heavily relied on in the past years.
The union said it has filed “a number” of unfair labor practice charges against Tyson. It accuses management of harassing union stewards and coercing injured employees into dropping claims.
Tyson Foods didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tyson ranks No. 9 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America.
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