UNION VOTE FAILS AT TYSON

 By Chuck Samples/KVOE News

 

There won't be a union at Emporia's Tyson Foods plant.

Workers voted 542-298 Thursday against getting represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson says the company strives to have a good working relationship with its employees, and that's why they voted as they did.

UFCW organizer Ed Pena was disappointed, saying the information process was unfair and Tyson could scare its workers into voting against unionizing -- something Mickelson denies.

Pena says the union will respect the process and it's up to workers to correct their concerns. A number of Tyson employees had considered unionizing since massive layoffs in January, citing concerns about seniority, working conditions and respect.

Elections to unionize Tyson's employees locally have been few and far between. The last union election failed in 1971.

Pena says the UFCW is willing to help another union effort if Tyson employees want to try again.