Tyson Foods not offering severance pay

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — The union representing assembly line workers at Tyson Foods in Manchester says the company is not offering severence pay to most of the workers who will lose their jobs when plant closes in February.

The union says the company offered severance packages only to its non-union employees who work in clerical and management jobs.

Tyson spokesman Ed Nicholson denied that the company has only offered servernce pay to non-union workers. He declined to say what the company offered to union members since negotiations are continuing.

The union says about 420 of the 550 workers weren’t offered severance.

The union — United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1445 — says it will fight for serverance for the workers.

Spokesman Fernando Lemus says he hasn’t ruled out that Tyson will make an offer to the workers. He says negotiations have just begun.