Meatpacker Tyson Foods announced this week it’ll cut 850 jobs, but managers of the Iowa plants in Denison and Cherokee say none of the layoffs will be at those facilities. Spokesman Gary Mickelson says the cuts are aimed at mainly office workers.
Mickelson says the company’s carrying out 200-Million dollars in cost-cutting moves including layoffs, sales expenses and travel. Mickelson says some of the cuts will be at plants in the Sioux City area. The plan is to eliminate about 420 positions, mainly managers and support staff. Another 430 jobs not filled right now will also be eliminated, and the largest number in this region will be 90 workers at two plants in Dakota Dunes in South Dakota and Dakota City in Nebraska. They’re also firing about forty consultants.
Mickelson says Tyson will continue to look at their entire operation, and make additional adjustments when necessary. He says the company’s been facing big losses recently. Mickelson calls it a difficult process, being done because the company thinks it’s “absolutely necessary.” He says everybody laid off will get some severance benefits and have a chance to apply for other jobs within the company. Tyson closed plants in Oelwein and Independence early this year and transferred some of the jobs to other facilities.