Tyson Foods lawsuit headed to trial, Company accused of hiring illegal aliens

AP

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee -- A lawsuit that contends Tyson Foods depressed wages by hiring illegal immigrants and should pay damages to legal workers will go to trial in March 2008, a judge said Monday in a conference with attorneys.

The lawsuit contends Tyson hired illegal immigrants at eight plants since April 1998.

U.S. District Judge Curtis L. Collier set the March 3, 2008, trial date after agreeing to allow an attorney for the world's largest meat company time to file a motion challenging the makeup of the class of plaintiffs before the court involves a mediator to attempt reaching a settlement.

The lead attorney for the plaintiffs, Howard W. Foster of Chicago, said he believes the total number of legal workers in the class ranges from 50,000 to 100,000. He has asked the court to force Tyson Foods to provide him a listing of all Tyson employees and their Social Security numbers, to be compared with Social Security records.

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Posted by tyne at January 30, 2007