Some truckers take big hit from loss of business
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 01:27 p.m., January 29, 2008
Updated 01:27 p.m., January 29, 2008
As two-thirds of Tyson Foods’ Emporia work force disappears, it will take at least half of Glenn Unrein’s work force with it.
Unrein’s Hays-based company, Golden Plains Trucking, has approximately 75 percent of its business tied up in the meat corporation’s Emporia plant, sending 90 to 120 loads a week of fat cattle heading there.
Now that Tyson’s shutting down its Emporia slaughter operation, things are going to change for Unrein. He’s going to have to do something he says he’s never done in 25 years of business.
“This news was devastating to Golden Plains, and there will probably be major layoffs coming in March,” Unrein said.
Golden Plains employs 30 workers, and Unrein feels certain he’ll have to lay off 15.
It isn’t local trucking operations that will be hit the hardest by Tyson’s decision to silence its Emporia slaughter site. Trucking companies such as Golden Plans in other parts of Kansas have larger percentages of their business tied up in Tyson than local companies do.
Red Line, located just southwest of the Tyson plant, has only about 8 percent of its business with Tyson, owner Kevin Nelson said. Red Line hauls Tyson’s food and processing products, rather than fat cattle.
“I think it will (affect us) a little,” Nelson said. “But we’re so diversified that we’ll just ask other people for more business, and we have good enough service records with them that I’m not concerned at this point that we won’t be able to pick it up elsewhere.”
Nelson said not many local trucking companies do a large amount of business with Tyson because, “The small guy, they weeded out quite a while ago. ... They had already kind of thrown their weight around and knocked some people out of business already, before this took place.”
Diversification, Nelson said, is the key to making sure a trucking company isn’t significantly hurt by an event like the Tyson slaughter shutdown.
“That’s definitely the game plan I attacked 10 years ago or better,” he said. “Because at one time, I had 40 percent of my eggs over there in (Tyson’s) basket. And I just didn’t feel real good about that.”
H&T Trucking is another local trucking outfit that does business with Tyson. Owner Harold Windholz said H&T has been hauling cattle into Tyson since 1992, when it was still the Iowa Beef Processors plant, but hasn’t done much of that lately.
“It’s going to affect me a little, not really a lot, because I just don’t haul that many fat cattle that go into the plant here,” he said. “Anymore, mine’s mostly just feeder cattle.”
Branson Truck Line, based in Lyons, is an example of another out-of-town trucking company hurt by last week’s events. Like Golden Plains, Branson also had about 75 percent of its business with Tyson. But Branson owner Dennis Suhler said, while the slaughter shutdown would certainly hurt his business, he doubted that it would result in layoffs.
“It’ll just probably make a difference in what we have to haul,” Suhler said. “We’ll probably go from hauling mostly fat cattle to mostly feeder cattle and other things. We’ll just take ’em west.”
Suhler said he hadn’t sat down to measure the financial impact on Branson.
“It’s a bummer, you know,” Unrein said. “Like I said, I’ve done business with Tyson, and before, (when) it was IBP. It just depends what they do with everything. But right now, those cattle, those 20,000 head a week that we were part of hauling in there, they’re not going to be going in there anymore.
“And a few of them will go somewhere else, but it will be really a devastating blow to the trucking industry and to the cattle industry, because they won’t need as many cattle.”
Suhler thinks quick action needs to be taken to keep Tyson’s operations in Emporia the way they are.
“Somebody needs to get with the city of Emporia and get with the state,” he said, “and throw some money at Tyson to keep ’em there, get ’em to change their mind.”
emporian (anonymous) says...
Thats exactly what Tyson wants. They want to get the city to come crawling on their knees and offer all sorts of incentives and cash to make them stay. Not worth it IMO. I think Tyson will shut down the rest of the plant in a few years and you is as solely storage/warehouse/transfer point.
January 29, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
Instead of throwing some more money at Tyson, so they can continue their discriminatory hiring practices and keep wages as depressed as possible, why not throw some money at some other companies with better reputations and wages to encourage them to come to Emporia?
January 29, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hottopics (anonymous) says...
This is the tragedy of not just 1500 are losing there jobs, its going to be to many to count. This is what we have been talking about to those who dont think it will impact this town.
January 29, 2008 at 2:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wookdog13 (anonymous) says...
hottopics, well said. As I have posted before, there will be a trickle down effect on Emporia. This is just the beginning. Those truckers also bought fuel here. Many of them also used our hotels, restaurants, and also shopped. Several of the truckers also live here, which means they too may pack up and leave. From the small cattle rancher to the big corporation all will feel the effect of what is about to happen in this town. Where will it all end? Would the last person leaving Emporia please turn out the lights!
January 29, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
77flint (anonymous) says...
Hey!! Leave the lights ON! I will still be here. Get real people this is not the end of this city.
January 29, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
laid_off_pissed_off (anonymous) says...
hottopics you are right about the trickle down affect this is having/or will have on Emporia. I don't know if Tyson included in their 1500 layoffs, the people who are losing their jobs in the hides dept. ( I do believe they are seperate from tyson). Also you have to add on all the csl people who did the nightly clean up on slaughter will more then likely be losing their jobs along with the people who work in the cafeteria at the facility. It's not just Tyson employees affected by it.
January 29, 2008 at 3:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dlw67401 (anonymous) says...
I've been following this story and I just want to point out that in the 1960's when they decided to shut down Schilling Air Force base in Salina everyone thought it was the end of times. Look at Salina today it is still here and prospering. Just keep your heads up and move on.
January 29, 2008 at 4:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zippy (anonymous) says...
There are many good companies in town whom I know have been looking for good help and haven't found the right people. I hope the laid off employees find the local companies that fit their qualifications. I bet the local job services will help out a lot.
January 29, 2008 at 5:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rdgrey (anonymous) says...
Yes it is sad but it is a buisness and we all take chances when we become employed. I have lived in topeka when goodyear had there HUGE layoff and same with santa fe. We must adjust our lives to our enviroment. If this means relocating then thats how it is. Maybe for some it will be the answer to what they really wanted to do or give some the opertunity to go back to school to learn something new that THEY would like to do. I have never heard anyone while growing up say "Dad, I wanna work in a meat processing plant when I grow up". Here is the chance for many to better their lives. ALL HOPE IS NEVER LOST UNLESS THATS WHAT YOU WANT. Open your eyes and take life by the you know whats.
January 29, 2008 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hottopics (anonymous) says...
It would be great to be optimistic. But this has been going on for so long it is almost ridiculous. We need NEW BLOOD running this town to bring it in the new era. There are still to many conservatives in seats that vote against new growth. I heard it right from a commissioners mouth when they were trying to rezone the property out by the turnpike. She said she isnt one for those kinds of changes but it passed. THANK GOODNESS IT DID! But that is still a long ways off to complete. (I guess now you know who said it) In my opinion people with that attitude need to step down.
I already thought about the Gas Stations that fuel the diesel in those trucks that will no longer be here. How about the Real estate companies that will have all those houses for sale and no one buying them. Sadly, the list goes on till it just about effects this entire community. But what we shouldnt do is sit here and say "Oh we will be fine, look at other cities". We arent other cities. We are over taxed, under paid, nothing but college jobs at low pay. How do we get ahead here if everyone is leaving or shutting down or mostly going out of business.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and freedom of speech but at least I see the majority here does in fact see what is really before us.
Has anyone heard the rumor that Menu is on its way out in a few weeks too! Just wondering if there is any truth to it.
January 29, 2008 at 8:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dlw67401 (anonymous) says...
The only way to get the change need is for all the people who do not vote to quit whining and go out and try to make a difference when it comes to elections. I understand every city is in a different situation, but it does no good to sit around and way for the end of existence. If the city leaders don't care about change then either get them out or move on to somewhere that cares. Just my 2 cents.
January 29, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dlw67401 (anonymous) says...
Just to let this discussion know. I am not some outsider trying put anyone down or just complain. I went to high school in Madison. I worked at "the beef" for 3.5 years and then worked for Dolly. I have family that still lives in Emporia. I moved about 7 years ago and still visit occasionally. Just saying that I am not trying to flame anyone. thank you
January 29, 2008 at 9:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cookatwork (anonymous) says...
Tyson will be laying off MORE and MORE people in the next few weeks - by the end of all this IF the plant stays open there will only be approx 200 people employeed (that is the rumor going around the plant). It is very possible that people in coolers will not have jobs by the end of next week. We need new business in this town - we need new production businesses that have a good reputations and want people to work there that are not just temp agency employees.
January 29, 2008 at 9:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whammy (anonymous) says...
IBP\/Tyson, has been a drain on the city and county tax base for years. I worked at beef on slaughter from 1979-1984 I was making at one point $9.35 per hour, 401k and health insurance,,,,,30 years later,, what are they paying. I doubt much more with less. Emporia tell me where else left in the U.S.is there a packing house in the middle of town where one side of towns city streets are full of cow crap. IBP repressed your wages by at least $4.00 per hour for years by hiring illebgal immigrants and now,,,, Somalians??? What the Heck is wrong with our city leaders, they should have been protecting Emporians wages and benefits and now health issues. When Tyson wanted cheap bond money to build and expand the city leaders should have said,, great, we can do that when you get your wages up, start hiring local legal employees and take care of any medical expenses incurred at the Lyon county health by any of your employees. EASY. The Chamber and all of their professional wisdom should have seen this coming. But now that this all has their attention they will be ready for more layoffs and plant closings. Emporia, I love you. You are in my heart. You will always be home, but I seen this coming and is why we moved and took our business with usl
You are in for some hard times, but you will survive and come out stronger than before. Look at the immediate positives.
1. Drastic reduction in illegal residents, crime and ect.
2. Almost immediate removal of the Somalis
3. Clean streets
4. Elimination of the odor of cooking blood and guts blowing over the city
5.The start to cleaning the city up and making it a respectable place to live again
January 29, 2008 at 10:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
peanutbutter (anonymous) says...
open_eyes, what is discriminatory about Tyson's hiring process? They hire people over 50, 60 and even 65, they hire all sorts of ethnicities, the only one's that don't get hired are one's who can't pass a drug test. Unfortunately that seems to be a lot of caucasion people.
January 29, 2008 at 10:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Maybe the city should quit putting all it eggs in the manufacturing/production basket. Jobs are headed over seas and will continue till few are left. American people like cheap stuff. We are a disposable society.
We will continue seeing this happen to businesses throughout the US. This town desperately needs technology jobs. Give them some incentives to move in here. It great that Hills will come in here, but when there tax free incentives run out (which you and I end up paying for in the end) are they gonna stick around? Not if they can make Dog food in Mexico for 1/2 cost but are able to maintain retail prices. All our eggs were in the manufacturing basket, and when the basket broke so did the eggs.
January 29, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
whammy (anonymous) says...
peanutbutter. What is it that you didn`t understand in open eyes blog. TYSON/IBP hire illegal immigrant labor that enables them to suppress hourly wages and have done this for many years. Read my earlier comment. That is discriminatory with in itself. What has been the starting wage at Tyson for the last several years compared to what I was making in the early 80`s. Then instead of raising their wages so the locals can actually afford to work there and support their families they bring in refugees from other countries..... Hey Tyson,,, thanks for supporting the local community and the families in the community. Good luck Tyson, clean up your mess,,,take your stink with you and get on outta town.
January 29, 2008 at 11:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wookdog13 (anonymous) says...
Why not go for a casino? It seems they bring in the money and they could build it out by the turnpike where people driving by could see and pull off for a few hours to blow some of their money instead of just driving by our town. It would employ many people, pay taxes, help all of the town with restaurants, hotels, (if there were places to shop) etc. Emporia needs to wake up and smell the roses. What is about to happen will effect all of us. What will happen when most of the homes are given back to the banks or go up for tax auction? Food for thought.
January 30, 2008 at 8:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
amber_b (anonymous) says...
tyson didnt hire illegal immigrants and as for being racist im white i work there my aunt is white she works there my dad works there he is white. im sorry but some of those comments are ignorant. i made 13.02 there just got a raise enough money to be happy for awhile till i find out im loosing that pay altogether. i 'm sorry that those people that didnt get hired maybe you had a bad work history or couldnt pass a drug test not tyson's problem. this loss will effect alot of people and A shift wont stay open for long they are only shipping in vats so if you think of that more jobs will be cut they wont need saw operators, scalers, people that work on the chain, cattle pushers. less truckers will be coming in getting gas at flying j's. Yea you say the community will bounce back just like other communities but lets think dolly is thinking about closing their doors, menu is laying off. where do you go to work where you can support a family that you make at least 13 dollars plus? when are the new companies goin to come i heard of a new dog food plant but they were goin to get some of their products from tysom rendering that now will no longer exist. good luck gettin jobs lol
January 30, 2008 at 10:54 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gardencitian (anonymous) says...
I am not from Emporia, but have been following this story because it hit home for two reasons. First, my better half was born and raised in Emporia and lived the first 26 years of his life there and he still has friends there. Second, I have lived the last 15 years in Garden City, KS which has suffered a loss similar but greater than this. As many of you may (or may not) know, we were a thriving community in 2000. We had our Tyson plant and Con Agra plant- that is until Con Agra burned to the ground Christmas Eve. 2500 people lost their jobs overnight. Garden City and Emporia are very comparable in demographics and population. I am not going to lie and say that it didn't hurt economically and it is depressing to see that facility just sitting there, the majority of which is going unused. However, 7 years later, Garden City is hardly a ghost town. We still haven't recovered completely but we are progressing. In the last year we have gotten a new ethanol plant. While there is plenty of controversy surrounding that industry, it has provided our community growth and decent paying jobs for about 50 people. We still have the Sunflower project in the works and haven't lost hope that the expansion will occur. The historic Windsor Downtown is moving forward to receive a complete rennovation that will also include a new restaurant, lounge and coffee shop. We have since built 2 brand new hotels and a 3rd is under construction that will include an IHOP restaurant. Sams Club is slated to begin construction at any time and the housing market just came off one of it's best years. There are many other small businesses that have also popped up and are doing well. And, there are still other businesses looking to come to Garden City. We didn't stick our tails between our legs just knowing that this would ruin our town. We moved forward, so please Emporia, be progressive!
January 30, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
peanutbutter, first of all Tyson's policy of NO re-hires, for any reason, seems rather restrictive, don't you think? Even if you worked there 25 years ago when it was IBP and had an excellent work record. It doens't take a rocket scientist to figure out that many jobs there don't require a rocket scientist's degree...... I worked there 20 years ago and left on excellent terms. And I have never touched drugs. But, were I to re-apply there, they wouldn't touch me - and you would just say it's because I can't pass a drug test??????
I realize Tyson has the right to define their own requirements, but for a company with these types of jobs and turnovers, does it truly make sense to have a strict no-rehire policy? I'm sure for every "bad" former employee they've had, there are just as many good ones - that would not require nearly the investment in training time and $$ to boot....
In addition, if you have followed any of these threads for any length of time, you would see there seems to be a problem with anyone local getting hired. And I had heard that from people for quite awhile myself now. Some that have posted here were told they were not hiring, check back in a few months, that was immediately before the meeting where they said they had 200 openings and were handing out applications.
Do you know for a fact that many of the locals turned down had/have drug problems?
It is almost like the people here that always cry "racist" for any and every reason. To make a blanket statement that the only people being turned down are people who can't pass a drug test shows lack of understanding of what has been transpiring lately....
January 30, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
laid_off_pissed_off (anonymous) says...
I have to agree about IBP/Tyson not hiring locals and bringing people in elsewhere. I have had family and friends that turned in applications and were turned away, because they were not "hiring". Hard to pass a drug test when you can't get in the door to begin with. Personally(IMO) I think IBP/Tyson hired the majority of these immigrants, because they are probably getting some kind of tax break or incentive from the government by doing so. Another thing is how many companies do you know that pay immigrants an incentive for becoming a US citizen? Is this a common practice amongst other big industries? Makes me wonder if the company was paying for their green cards/ visas' to work here and decided to give this incentive to try and encourage them to become US citizens to cut down on company cost. I am not racist and I do not have a problem with immigrants that work here. But why should there be special incentives for them and why should the company make special provisions (prayer rooms) because of their religious beliefs?
January 30, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
laid off_pissed_off -- At last, someone else has put two and two together. Thank you for saying, "Personally(IMO) I think IBP/Tyson hired the majority of these immigrants, because they are probably getting some kind of tax break or incentive from the government by doing so."
I say this because those of us who have been accused of being bigoted "vocal locals" have been saying what you just said since the beginning. Some of us did tons of research and did a lot of putting two and two together. Basically, my own thesis has been that Tyson was receiving tax breaks by hiring refugees, a legal labor force. After all, Tyson has been on federal trial in Shelbyville, TN for hiring undocumented workers to control wages. I'm not against Somalis being here. Not in the least. Power to them for going through what they have had to experience. But I did feel that Tyson was somehow using them to control wages on top of receiving tax subsidies.
You know that sign, "Everyone Loses when Livestock Bruises" ? I guess we should remove the last three words.
January 30, 2008 at 8:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansasforlegalimmigration (anonymous) says...
2-1-08
We are asking that you give your full support SB 458, “The Kansas Illegal Immigration Relief Act” during this 2008 session of the Kansas Senate.
This bill has been introduced by Sen. Peggy Palmer and Co-Sponsored by Senators Barnett, Huelskamp, Journey and Ostmeyer.
This bill address five of the most important issues to curb the tide of illegal aliens currently invading Kansas as well as other states.
1.Allow state and local authorities to enforce federal immigration law.
2. Prohibit illegal immigrants from receiving state services such as welfare.
3. Require employers to verify the citizenship of potential hires using the federal Employment Eligibility Verification system, called E-Verify
4.Impose new penalties for businesses that hire illegals.
5. Toughen penalties for using or making false identification for illegal immigrants.
This bill is needed to begin to curb the onslaught of Illegal Aliens we have witnessed in the United States since the “Great Amnesty of 1986”. There have been many attempts this past year to pass feel good “amnesties” in the US congress. Thankfully none of these have been passed.
We have personally seen entire industries taken over by companies who hire illegal labor. These companies hire Illegal Aliens at rates lower than the cost of hiring legal IMMIGRANTS or US Citizens. By allowing this to happen, we have created an underclass of “modern day slave labor” which works for less money, fewer or no benefits and no recourse. Meanwhile due to the unfair competition many American business people have had to close because they could not compete.
We feel that we need to secure our borders and remove the Magnets (jobs, social services etc.) that draw Illegal Aliens before we attempt to assimilate those who are here illegally now. We can’t afford to keep making the same mistakes over and over.
In 1986 we had 2.7 million Illegal Aliens in our country. Because we took no action to prevent a repeat of this flood by securing the borders and removing the MAGNETS, which draw more illegals, we now have 10 times that number to deal with today. For us to add to the seven (7) amnesties passed in the US congress since 1986 without preventing a repeat is unacceptable.
We need for you to call, write, Fax and email your senators to protect Kansas workers from the unfair hiring of ILLEGAL ALEINS.
Sam Reed
kansasforlegalimmigration@cox.net
February 1, 2008 at 7:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Kansasforlegalimmigration (anonymous) says...
Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee
Senator Jim Barnett
1400 Lincoln
EMPORIA, KS. 66801
barnett@senate.state.ks.us
Fax 620-342-6520
Senate Office phone 785-296-7384
Senator Karin Brownlee
14725 S Chalet Drive
OLATHE, KS. 66062
brownlee@senate.state.ks.us
Fax 913-782-1085
Senate Office phone 785-296-7358
Senator Pete Brumgardt, Committee Chairman
522 Fairdale Road
SALINA, KS. 67401
brungardt@senate.state.ks.us
Fax 785-825-0273
Senate Office phone 785-296-7390
Senator Marci Francisco
1101 Ohio
LAWRENCE, KS. 66044
francisco@senate.state.ks.us
Senate Office phone 785-296-7365
Senator Mark Gilstrap, Ranking Minority Member
4218 N 126 Street
KANSAS CITY, KS. 66109
gilstrap@senate.state.ks.us
Fax 913-573-8169
Senate Office phone 785-296-7357
Senator Julia Lynn
18837 W 115TH TERRACE
OLATHE, KS. 66061
lynn@senate.state.ks.us
Senate Office phone 785-296-7382
Senator Ralph Ostmeyer
Box 97
GRINNELL, KS. 67738
ostmeyer@senate.state.ks.us
Senate Office phone 785-296-7399
Senator Roger Reitz, Committee Vice-Chair
1332 Sharingbrook
MANHATTAN, KS. 66503
reitz@senate.state.ks.us
Senate Office phone 785-296-7360
Senator John Vratil
9534 Lee Boulevard
LEAWOOD, KS. 66206
vratil@senate.state.ks.us
Senate Office phone 913-451-5100
February 1, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
open_eyes (anonymous) says...
Ok, Kansasforlegalimmigration, we've got it. Enough already. You've posted this dozens of times on every thread. But, if you ever post again, could you do just 1 small tiny thing for all of us? Could you at least spell ALIENS correctly?
February 6, 2008 at 1:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )