Segregation in Full Swing at Tyson

[GrantDem]

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Food conglomerate Tyson Foods has been sued by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law on behalf of workers at Tyson Food's Ashland, Alabama chicken processing plant for maintaining a Whites Only break room and rest room.

From the press release:

A lawsuit filed today alleges that Tyson Foods, Inc. is responsible for maintaining a segregated bathroom and break room, reminiscent of the Jim Crow era, in its Ashland, Alabama chicken processing plant. Twelve African-American employees filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, alleging that a “Whites Only” sign and a padlock denied them access to a bathroom in the Ashland plant. The complaint states that numerous white employees had keys to the bathroom that were not provided to African-American workers.

The African-American employees’ complaint also alleges that, after they complained about the segregated bathroom, the plant manager told them that the bathroom had been locked because they were “dirty” and announced the closing of the break room. According to the complaint, the same white employees who had keys to the “Whites Only” bathroom formed their own, private break room, using Tyson materials to construct the furniture. Initially, a locked door segregated the private break room. To the present day, locked cabinets and a locked refrigerator maintain a private break room.

The rest of the article is available at:

http://steveaudio.blogspot.com/

[SteppingRazor]

1. Wow! For someone born after the civil rights era...

This is so surreal.

[mzteris]

2. ARE YOU KKKidding me?????

I KNEW - I KNOW racism is alive and well - but this OVERT?

OMG. How sickeningly disgusting. JMFHC! Will people EVER get their heads out of their behinds??????

[President Jesus]

3. Yikes. The head of the company is a Democrat

wtf? http://www.newsmeat.com/ceo_political_donations/John_Tyson.php

[mzteris]

4. Southern Democrats

aren't necessarily the same thing as a Real Democrat.

Think Zell Miller..........

[pinto]

8. I doubt if Zell represents the party anywhere at this time.

[mzteris]

12. he's still a "registered democrat".....

that was my point.....

[one_true_leroy]

5. to be fair...

the company head may not be much for micromanaging, and may never have visited the plant.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

10. His last two have been to Republicans.

..including Roy Blunt.

If he really were a "Democrat", then this wouldn't be the case, would it?

[AspenRose]

6. Mike Malloy said, "they better get ready for a boycott"

I think he's right....I don't eat Tyson, anyway.

Eat organic/free range!

[BlueIris]

7. I read about this outrage a few days ago; I wanted to puke.

It's 2005. This is vile.

[VOX]

9. Tyson has God on its side -- they hire "workplace chaplains."

Why is it that public piousness and lip-service to all things Godly are always found in close proximity to hatred in this country?????
:grr:
http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/090105LB.shtml
Spiritual Guidance... In the Workplace?
By Jane Lampman
The Christian Science Monitor
Thursday 01 September 2005
Companies that hire workplace chaplains find that besides helping employees, they may help their bottom line, too.
<snip>
Tyson Foods, Inc., a major food supplier, has 127 part-time chaplains serving at 76 sites.
<snip>

[LostInAnomie]

11. Geez, how many times is Tyson going to get in trouble?

Haven't they already been in trouble for hiring illegal immigrants, and unsanitary practices?