Conservative influencers and politicians are calling for a boycott of Tyson Foods after false claims spread online saying the multinational meat producer is planning to hire 52,000 people who came to the U.S. illegally.
However, Tyson Foods has clarified that these claims are entirely false. The company has no current plans to hire 52,000 workers in the U.S. and emphasizes that all its employees must have legal authorization to work in the country.
Tyson Foods stated that it has between 5-8% of roles open in its 500 U.S. locations at any given time, available to anyone who is qualified and legally authorized to work in the United States. The company's U.S. workforce, comprising approximately 120,000 employees, currently has around 6,000 to 9,600 open positions.
In 2022, Tyson committed to hiring 2,500 refugees in the U.S. over three years as part of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a network of major multinational companies. Refugees and individuals granted asylum have legal status in the U.S. and are authorized to work.
The false claims regarding Tyson's hiring plans appear to have originated from misreported statements. The company clarified that a statement made by one of its associates about hiring 52,000 people for factory jobs in 2024 was a mistake.
Despite the misinformation, calls for a boycott of Tyson have emerged, echoing similar movements against companies perceived to have 'woke' policies. However, experts point out that immigrant labor has long been essential for various industries, including meat processing, due to the nature of the work.
Tyson recently announced the closure of a pork processing facility in Perry, Iowa, citing specific business reasons unrelated to its hiring efforts at other locations. The company has encouraged affected employees to apply for other positions within the company.
While false claims suggested that Tyson would be hiring in New York following the Perry closure, the company clarified that it does not operate in New York and has no plans to do so.
It is crucial to address and correct misinformation circulating online, and this article aims to provide accurate information regarding the situation involving Tyson Foods.
