By Michael Hooper
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
EMPORIA — Residents are beginning to address the problems and challenges associated with Tyson Foods' decision to lay off 1,500 of its 2,400 employees.
"In some ways this is like the Greensburg tornado, except we see the tornado coming," said Mike Sorsen, pastor of Emporia Presbyterian Church. "It's a disaster, but FEMA is not coming."
Tyson Foods, the largest employer in Emporia, announced Friday it was closing its local slaughter operations within a few weeks because there is too much slaughter capacity nationwide and not enough cattle.
About 50 people gathered Tuesday night at the Emporia Presbyterian Church for a meeting organized by Friends in Faith Serving Emporia. They are trying to figure out ways to help families affected by the layoffs.
Tyson Foods is giving incentives to employees to transfer to other plants, but no one knows exactly how many people will remain in Emporia.
"We want people to stay here," said Matt Zimmerman, Emporia city manager.
 Thad Allton / The Capital-Journal
Eswin Rios, top center, director of Friends in Faith Serving Emporia, leads a group discussion Tuesday night about plans by Tyson Foods to lay off 1,500 workers at the company's Emporia plant.
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Zimmerman said the Emporia Chamber of Commerce was organizing a job fair Feb. 9. He said employers from surrounding communities were welcome to join in the job fair and should contact the local chamber. He said local leaders were planning to meet Friday to work out a more detailed plan of how to deal with the job losses.
He said van pools could be organized so workers could share rides to jobs in Wichita, Topeka and other communities.
Local residents say the Hispanic and Somali populations will be especially affected by the job cuts.
The Somali population is estimated at 500 to 1,000 people in Emporia. The Hispanic community is much larger and has lived in Emporia longer.
Zimmerman said the consensus of leaders of the local Somali population is to leave Emporia after they lose their jobs. One Somali worker, Seynab Nur, told The Topeka Capital-Journal she will leave Emporia to find work elsewhere. She said it is easier for members of the Somali population to leave because they haven't been here long and don't have debts.
Eswin Rios, director of Friends in Faith, said the Hispanic community is more deeply involved in Emporia than the Somali population because the Hispanics have been here much longer. The Somali population arrived about two years ago as refugees from their war-torn country. Hispanics have been living in Emporia for several decades, with the biggest waves coming in the past 15 years. Many Hispanics own their homes and have purchased cars with loans, have children and live paycheck to paycheck, Rios said.
Luis Solorio, a board member of Friends in Faith, said many people don't realize how significant the job losses are to Emporia.
"This touches everybody," he said.
For example, he said his sister's family, which depends on Tyson Foods for employment, recently purchased a $100,000 house and a van. Now they are worried about keeping up with the payments, he said.
Rios said that in addition to the 1,500 Tyson workers losing their jobs, other contract laborers will lose their jobs, too, including cleanup crew members and cafeteria workers.
Residents said the job cuts would affect schools, businesses, the housing market, the ranching community and social services.
Michael Hooper can be reached at (785) 295-1293 or [email protected].
Source: CJOnline, Jan 30, 2008