Closure Announcement
Swanson says when the organization declared in Spring they were closing the plant, he was unable to take a chance with unemployment as a result of his medical problems.
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Therefore, he claims that he accepted a new position with health benefits and left Tyson approximately six weeks prior to the company’s June 28 closure.
“Hard for a Lot of People”
Swanson, who worked at the plant for almost 14 years stated: “None of us picked this, and I just want everybody to be OK.”
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“Because I know how hard this is going to be for a lot of people.”
1,300 Laid-Off Workers
Large numbers of the 1,300 hundred other laid-off employees are currently wrestling with a similar circumstance.
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The closure has left them living, but not working, in Perry. Another path forward might lie elsewhere.
Opportunities in Perry
“You have the power to make sure that you find the right opportunity that’s going to benefit you and your family,” Swanson said.
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However, Perry’s reality is that the right opportunities left long ago.
“Hoping for a Miracle”
The meat processing plant isn’t up to date enough for the business, and any upgrades would be too expensive.
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Rachel Wacker stated: “Maybe we were hoping for a miracle at first, where we can just turn off the lights on June 28th and turn them back on with a new user.”
Working-Age Residents
Wacker, who is the executive director of the Greater Dallas County Development Alliance, was remiss about the hopes for an angel investor: “That’s simply not the case.”
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Before it closed, the Tyson plant employed approximately 25% of Perry’s working-age residents, according to city and county officials.
Impact on the Town
Accounting laborers’ families and organizations directly connected with the plant, around 60% of the town is impacted by the shuttering.
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According to CBS News as per Tyson Foods, 200 team members relocated to Tyson facilities in Iowa and outside the state.
“One-Factory” Towns
The difficulties of the purported “one-factory” town isn’t a recent phenomenon. During the 1970s, Youngstown, Ohio, was a flourishing steel city of 140,000 individuals.
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According to data from the United States Census, the population has decreased to less than half since the Youngstown mills closed.
Shipping Hubs and Chicken Plants
When a shipping hub in Wilmington closed in 2008, Ohio was hit hard again, leaving 42% of the working-age population without a job.
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The CBS News data team discovered that in Farmerville, Louisiana, in 2009, a chicken plant that employed more than a third of the town shut down.
Options in Perry
Back in Perry, individuals like Nacho Calderon are learning from history. In the wake of being laid off at the Tyson plant, he desires to turn into a trash or concrete transporter.
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In Perry, a commercial drivers license is required to operate garbage trucks. The nearby junior college is giving shipping classes pro bono to offer laborers a chance at remaining in town.
Empathy for Coworkers
Calderon says that he is sad that he lost his job, and he also feels sorry for his coworkers, who might not have cars or much money to help them get back on their feet.
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As Calderon is as yet searching for work, Swanson has this guidance: ” Take control.” He got a job managing maintenance at an out-of-town apartment complex.
Swanson stated, “[It’s] what I feel is a great opportunity, and I want that for everyone.” It’s a hopeful wish for friends who lost their jobs but refused to leave their city despite all odds.