KANSAS CITY (Dow Jones)--Tyson Foods (TSN) said Friday some of its meat processing plants will be closed Monday due to a combination of factors including planned immigration rallies, which will affect some of the company's employees.
Poor current market conditions was also cited for the one-day closure.
Company spokesman Gary Mickelson in an e-mail reply said, "We at Tyson support comprehensive immigration reform and support our Team Members' right to express themselves on this important matter. We're telling them if they plan to take part in a rally Monday, and their plant is scheduled to operate, we hope they will not take any unauthorized time off but will instead get pre-approval from their supervisor or participate during non-work hours. We're also encouraging them to consider expressing their views by writing or calling their US senators or representative."
The U.S. Senate bill regarding immigration reform did not pass Friday. Both Democrats and Republicans have sent forth legislation to deal with immigration reform. Immigrant workers have organized demonstrations and marches in recent weeks to protest legislation in immigration reform over some bills that would criminalize being an illegal immigrant. Additional events are planned for this weekend and Monday.
The Wall Street Journal earlier this week reported that events are scheduled for Monday in at least 60 U.S. cities "in an attempt to keep pressure on the immigration issue and broaden the base of support."
Industry sources said operations at other meat plants may be affected as well on Monday but how many and to what degree they could be affected remains to be seen.
Mickelson said the company's Madison, Neb., pork plant is one of the facilities that will be closed Monday, but he could not release information on any other facilities at this time.
There are reports that a sow processor in Wisconsin will not be open Monday and that a cattle processor in Omaha will be closed that day.
Livestock dealers said many of the pork packers have scheduled calls with some suppliers for early Monday in case their delivery schedules must be changed in the event that the plants are not able to work at normal speeds.
Wholesale pork prices are at two-month lows. Packer margins are currently thin and pork demand is sluggish. Wholesale boxed beef prices reached their lowest since September and chicken prices are at all-times lows.
Source: Curt Thacker; Dow Jones Newswires; 913-322-5178; curt.thacker@dowjones.com