Big decision for Tyson workers

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BRIAN WATT: The world’s largest meat processor announced it’s laying off nearly 800 workers in October. Now workers at those plants have a choice to make. Carol Cizauskas.

JOCELYN FORD: Tyson is offering workers cash incentives up to $5,000 to relocate to plants in Kansas and Nebraska.

Given the state of the economy around Tyson’s Pasco, Washington, slaughterhouse, it might be hard to say no.

Dean Schau is an economist who analyzes labor trends in the Evergreen state. He says the job market around Pasco is flat, compared to the rest of the state, especially the Seattle area.

DEAN SCHAU: Right now, the state of Washington’s economy is getting very, very hot, and if anything, there’s a shortage of workers. But it’s going to be hard on these families, you know, getting laid off in October, just before Thanksgiving and the approaching of Christmastime.

Analysts say the layoffs are part of Tyson’s effort to respond to weaker chicken and beef sales.

I’m Carol Cizauskas for Marketplace.