NOEL, Mo. — More than 1,500 workers at the “Tyson Chicken Processing Plant” in Noel – punched the clock for the final time, today.
“Because there is nowhere to go, they bought houses here, pretty much their life is here,” said Anyal Myint, Former Tyson Employee.
Friday was the day many people in Noel had been dreading: the closure of the Tyson Chicken plant, leaving more than 1,500 workers out of jobs.
“I know there is a lot of employees being affected by that, and I say condolences because we are really sorry for them. We have a lot of citizens who work there and we just want them to know that we are there for them,” said Randy Wilson, Noel Marshal.
“It’s bad because you get attached to people, and it hurts, because it was like that was your house. Like moving to high school, you go from 7th, to finish, and you are like, ‘where are my friends’,” said Myint
It was originally scheduled to close next week.
Employees were given a $1,000 incentive at the beginning of this week — if they agreed to work until the end of business, Friday.
However, some employees decided to leave the plant early to search for work — we caught up with one of them.
“Before you leave, one thousand, but in my head I was thinking you know, if I stay like that, then I will not find a job, so I was quick to move around and look for a job,” said Myint.
Myint found a position at “Simmons Prepared Foods” shortly after leaving the Noel plant.
However, she says some of her old co-workers won’t get the same opportunities — due to their immigration status.
“Some of the older people, are immigrants, so they aren’t like me and you, who are privileged to getting another job, so a lot of people cry because there is nowhere to go,” said Myint.
