Members of UFCW Local 431 who work at the Tyson Fresh Meats plant in Waterloo, Iowa, announced that they ratified a new contract last week which covers 2,200 workers at that plant. The new five-year contract includes restructured pay grades and initial first-year wage increases ranging from $.45 per hour to $2.45 per hour; improved funeral leave of up to 12 hours; a 60 day extension on birthday holidays; improved holiday pay that matches shift hours; and improved night shift differential time. The contract also provides new uniforms for the maintenance crew and coveralls for employees working in cold temperatures at the plant.
“This contract is a huge victory for workers at Tyson Fresh Meats,” said UFCW Local 431 President Jerry Messer. “This contract gives workers a chance to share in the success of a company they helped make profitable. By sticking together as a union, these workers have a voice on the job and the dignity and respect they deserve.”