A strike at a Tyson Foods packing plant in Amarillo, Texas, has been averted after the company and Teamsters Local 577 reached a tentative agreement regarding labor practices. That's according to a Teamsters spokesperson, who said its members authorized a strike on Friday.
“Our members demonstrated an incredible amount of solidarity and courage throughout this process, and it's an honor to represent them," said Al Brito, president of Teamsters Local 577.
Teamsters will be voting on the agreement today, the spokesperson told Agri-Pulse. The strike authorization, which passed by a margin of 98%, could have resulted in a strike of 3,100 workers. Workers requested “higher wages and improved benefits,” according to the press release. The union has also filed multiple unfair labor practice charges against Tyson, claiming labor law violations.
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“We’re not just fighting for more money,” said Keisha Carey, a member of the Tyson Teamsters Negotiating Committee. “We’re tired of seeing people suffer. We’re tired of seeing people hurting. We’re tired of seeing the elites who run this company have no compassion for the workers who make them rich.”
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