VAN BUREN, Ark. — With 24 hours left in operation, 5NEWS received reports that the Van Buren Tyson Plant closed down for good on Thursday, the day before its scheduled closing date.
5NEWS heard the information from multiple sources who called into our newsroom.
We're working to get more details— it's not clear if corporate employees at Tyson Foods, Inc. made the decision to not operate on its final day, Friday, May 12, or if employees are protesting by not showing up tomorrow.
5NEWS has reached out to officials and will update this article with more information as it becomes available.
Closure impacting 900 workers
On March 13, 2023, a spokesperson for Tyson Foods inc. confirmed the company has "made the difficult decision to close [the] Van Buren, Arkansas plant effective May 12, 2023."
The plant closure impacts 969 employees. The company went on to say that employees were their top priority and that they plan to "work directly with impacted team members to help ensure they have the option to apply for open positions and relocation assistance where applicable to other Tyson Foods facilities."
“Losing that many jobs isn't ever news that a community wants to hear. But Tyson has been a great corporate citizen and community partner to us,” said Julie Murray.
Julie Murray is president of the Van Buren Chamber of Commerce.
She says most employers in the area have job openings right now that could help fill the gap.
Workers protesting ahead of the closure
A protest at the Van Buren Tyson Plant began in mid-April, a month before the plant's scheduled closing.
The protest was in response to the unfair compensation following the upcoming shutdown of the plant and workers being laid off, according to an organization supporting the strike.
Tyson workers were demanding:
- Equal treatment compared to supervisors and corporate employees
- Full payout of unused vacation time at the end of employment
- Full accountability for workers’ compensation claims
- Fair working conditions
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