Tyson workers file suit for pay
US - A Kansas City law firm has filed a suit on behalf of workers at Tyson Foods' beef packing plant in Holcomb, alleging that Tyson requires them to work "off the clock" and denies them overtime wages.The suit alleges that workers did not receive wages and overtime pay as required by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and by Kansas state law.
So far, 262 of the 2,500 employees at the plant have joined the lawsuit. Attorneys are seeking class action status for the suit to include all workers eligible for overtime. The vast majority of the workers at the Holcomb plant are immigrants, many from Latin America.
The suit follows a November 2005 Supreme Court ruling that said meat plant workers must be paid for the time required to put on and remove protective clothing and safety gear, and for the time required to walk to and from work stations.
Last week, a poultry processing plant in Cassville, Mo., agreed to pay more than $1.2 million in back wages to thousands of employees for time they spent putting on and removing protective clothing and walking to and from work stations.
Source: Wichita Eagle
17 May 2006
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