VICKSBURG, Miss. — About 100 people were in line when the doors opened at the Vicksburg WIN Job Center, where applications were taken from those interested in 24 job openings at Tyson Foods’ plant in Warren County.

But 90 minutes later, about 900 names of applicants had been written on lists circulating among the job seekers.

Office manager Timothy Crudup told The Vicksburg Post that Friday’s crowd far exceeded the usual number of job candidates seen at the facility, and he said it’s a sign of a bleak local job market.

“I’ve been here 11 years, and yeah, it’s more than last year, too,” he said.

Unemployment in Warren County was 11.7 percent in September, up from 11 percent in August. Mississippi’s rate was 10.6 percent for the month, up half a percent. Figures for October have not been released.

The company was looking to fill manual labor and support positions that pay $8.60 an hour and involve straightening products on conveyor belts and handling 10- to 40-pound product cases at the plant. The U.S. minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

The plant currently employs about 500.

Crudup said the positions were advertised only at the plant. None was posted in the employment office or online.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Donald Jordan of Vicksburg, one of several left wondering whether they’d be interviewed after a list of job seekers was destroyed and new lists were started.

 

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