Santa Clara, CA: Tyson Foods has lost its challenge to a $5.8 million class action judgment in an unpaid overtime and wages class action brought by Tyson workers at an Iowa pork-processing facility. The U.S. Supreme Court in a 6-2 ruling written by conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, upheld a 2014 appeals court decision in favor of the workers.
The court has been considering an objection to the use of statistics to determine liability and damages claimed by the workers. The lawsuit was filed by workers in at the meat-processing facility in 2007. The plant employs around 1,300 people. The plaintiffs claim they were entitled to overtime pay and damages because they were not paid for time spent donning and donning off protective equipment and walking to work stations. More than 3,000 current and former employees are suing Tyson.
The case is Tyson Foods Inc v. Bouaphakeo, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 14-1146.
