WILKESBORO, N.C. — Tyson Foods confirmed to 5NEWS Tuesday, Aug. 13, that 400 people will be laid off at a Wilkesboro, North Carolina plant.
Tyson said this is due to "increasing demand" to support its fully cooked products. This comes after thousands of other layoffs throughout the country as the company expands to other locations and says it plans to use more technology.
In October 2023, Tyson announced it would lay off workers in the same North Carolina plant, although it did not disclose a number. Among the layoffs were approximately 1,200 employees working at an Iowa plant permanently closed this year.
Hundreds of other employees have been laid off in Arkansas cities Van Buren and North Little Rock. Tyson has also announced layoffs in Missouri, Illinois, South Dakota, Indiana and Virginia. In some cases, employees were offered other positions. Others didn't have the same luck.
A spokesperson for Tyson released the following statement:
“Due to increasing demand, we are shifting production in our Wilkesboro, NC facility to support our Tyson fully cooked products. As a result of these process changes, fewer positions will be required in the facility. Our priority is to help team members impacted by this change, and we are working with them to offer other opportunities at Tyson Foods."
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