Tyson Foods will require all 120,000 of its workers in the United States to get vaccinated. The company is the world’s second largest processor and marketer of chicken, beef and pork. About 56,000 of the employees have already been vaccinated.
Tyson, the name behind the iconic Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm brands, dealt with deadly outbreaks of the virus at its plants. The food processor will now be one of the first major employers of frontline workers to enact this policy. The company will also offer a $200 bonus to frontline workers who get their shots.
Tyson CEO Donnie King said in a memo to employee that as the Delta variant and possibly other strains may surge throughout the U.S., “it is abundantly clear that getting vaccinated is the single most effective thing we can do to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.”
Back in April 2020, during the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, Forbes staff writer Lisette Voytko reported on the prevailing public sentiment praising frontline workers for all of the health risks that they are subjected to endure. Voytko wrote, “According to [Governor Andrew] Cuomo, 41% of New York’s frontline workers are people of color, with women making up two-thirds of frontline workers, while one-third come from low-income households, ” and they should increase “hazard pay for frontline workers with a 50% bonus.”
The American public praised frontline workers for their heroism and bravery. Over time, the same way we stopped banging pots in New York City to celebrate nurses and healthcare professionals, we also forgot about the workers at factories, poultry plants, warehouses, fulfillment centers, supermarkets, restaurants, retail shopping stores and other customer-facing roles. As time wore on, many corporations that relied upon low-wage workers didn’t push for them to get vaccinated.
It’s different with white-collar professionals. Dozens of corporations have announced vaccine mandates. The companies run the gamut, ranging from top-tier investment banks, like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, to Delta and United Airlines. Tech titans, such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook, are instituting vaccine requirements too.
It’s a stark contrast against blue-collar factory and food-service workers. These once-considered brave Americans are the most exposed to the virus, due to their close proximity to people on a regular basis.
The Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a survey that found vaccination rates correlated closely with both education and income levels. College graduates responded that 79% said they had already received at least one dose. Whereas, those without a college degree self-reported that only 59% have received at least one dose. About 74% of adults earning $90,000y said they had received one dose. Only 63% making less than $40,000 a year received a shot.
Walmart highlights this discrepancy. The largest employer in the U.S. said corporate employees must be vaccinated by October 4, but there isn’t a corresponding edict for its 1.6 million U.S, low-wage workers. Although, the big-box retail is providing $150 bonuses to store and warehouse workers to get vaccinated.
This is why Tyson’s decision is important. Hopefully, other businesses that rely upon at-risk workers will also start trying to get their employees vaccinated.
Source: Forbes
