Ex-Tyson Foods employees sue company

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Tyson Foods Inc. allegedly depressed workers&#39; wages by hiring immigrants known to be illegal, according to a lawsuit filed by four former employees. <br> <br> The company and six former managers already face a federal indictment accusing them of conspiring to smuggle illegal immigrants to work at 15 plants. <br> <br> The civil lawsuit, filed Tuesday by former hourly employees of Tyson&#39;s Shelbyville plant, accuses the meat company of relying on temporary employment services and on recruiters it says were paid for each illegal immigrant the company hired. Non-Tyson workers in the same communities as the 15 plants received much higher wages, according to the lawsuit. <br> <br> The lawsuit seeks class-action status. <br> <br> ``The civil action is going to compensate the innocents who have been devastated by the illegal hiring scheme,&#39;&#39; said John McMahan, a Chattanooga attorney representing one of the plaintiffs. ``It&#39;s the only way to hold Tyson accountable.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Tyson spokesman Ed Nicholson declined comment on the lawsuit. <br> <br> Tyson, based in Springdale, Ark., is the nation&#39;s largest meat company, with 120,000 employees. Executives contend the government&#39;s case involves a ``few managers who were acting outside of company policy.&#39;&#39; One executive said the indictment followed the company&#39;s refusal to pay the government a $100 million penalty. <br> <br> The indictment involves plants in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. <br> <br>

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