WATERLOO, Iowa — Seven plant managers from Tyson Foods' Waterloo meat-processing plants no longer have jobs with the company after an independent investigation revealed they placed wagers on COVID-19 infections in the facility.
Tyson made the announcement on Wednesday, a little less than a month after the managers were suspended.
“We value our people and expect everyone on the team, especially our leaders, to operate with integrity and care in everything we do,” Tyson Foods President & CEO Dean Banks said in a press release. “The behaviors exhibited by these individuals do not represent the Tyson core values, which is why we took immediate and appropriate action to get to the truth.
"Now that the investigation has concluded, we are taking action based on the findings.”
Banks and others "immediately traveled to Waterloo" last month and again on Wednesday to meet with plant team members and community leaders to talk about how the company will strengthen their relationship with them.
The company says it will be done by:
- Opening more communication channels to hear team member voices
- Creating a working group of local community leaders to strengthen collaboration
- Reinforcing the importance of Tyson Foods’ core values and team behaviors
“The commitment and passion that our team members exhibit every day is core to who we are at Tyson. We were very upset to learn of the behaviors found in the allegations, as we expect our leaders to treat all team members with the highest levels of respect and integrity,” Banks said. “That’s why we have asked former Attorney General Eric Holder and his team to partner with Tyson to help us as we continue to look for ways to enhance a trusting and respectful workplace.”
The family of one Tyson Foods employee in Waterloo has filed a wrongful death suit alleging management was aware of the risks of the virus and placed bets on how many of the workers would get sick.
Isidro Fernandez's family filed the suit earlier this year and alleged he got sick while working at the plant.
He died on April 26.
