SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – Employees of Tyson Foods Inc.’s Shelbyville, Tenn. will no longer have a paid day off on Labor Day. However, they will have the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr off.

The employees’ union, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said last week that a new 5-year contract at the plant included the change for Muslim workers at the plant.

Union leaders reportedly said it was important to include the holiday for the almost 700 Muslim employees of the plant, many of whom are Somalis. A total of 1,200 people work at the plant.

Tyson spokesman said the contract includes the same number of paid holidays as the old contract.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. This year the holiday falls on Oct. 1.

Source: Shelbyville Times-Gazette, Associated Press