Tyson Foods Replies ie: Muslim Holiday

Labor Day Still Recognized at Tyson Foods
Union Contract Provision only at Shelbyville, TN Plant
"Phelps, Vicki" <[email protected]>


Springdale, Arkansas - August 4, 2008 - Contrary to recent reports,
Labor Day is still a holiday at Tyson Foods. This issue concerns only
the plant at Shelbyville, TN. The majority of employees at the Tyson
plant in Shelbyville, TN, are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and
Department Stores Union (RWDSU), an American union that asked for and
received Eid al-Fitr, as one of their eight paid holidays, in place of
Labor Day. This applies only to the Shelbyville plant and resulted as
part of the union contract negotiated last fall. This change does not
apply to Tyson Foods' other 118 plants. This is not a religious
accommodation, rather, it is part of a union-initiated contract demand.




This change came about as a result of union demands brought to the
negotiating table, and was agreed upon by Tyson in an effort to reach a
contractual agreement with the union. The contract that calls for this
change was unanimously recommended by the 12-person union bargaining
committee, which included three Somali employees. The contract was then
overwhelmingly agreed to by 80 percent of the rank and file membership
of the union at the Shelbyville plant.



The Muslim population at the Shelbyville plant is primarily composed of
approximately 250 Somali employees, who are political refugees, most of
whom came to the plant as a result of refugee resettlement efforts based
in Nashville. They were employed at the plant through the Tennessee
Department of Employment Security office.



The Shelbyville complex employs approximately 1,200 people.
Approximately 1,000 workers are covered by the union agreement at
Shelbyville.