NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – It’s news employees of the North Little Rock Tyson Food plant are still trying to come to terms with as the company announced they will be closing four plants across the nation, including in central Arkansas.

Stephen Harden, an employee of Tyson Foods, said employees were informed early Monday morning.

“It was somber, people heads were down, shocking, it was a lot of shock, just disbelief,” Harden said.

This announcement came following the release of Tyson’s third quarter earnings results.               Harden says he was already planning on leaving, but many of his co-workers who have worked there for decades will be without a job.

“People that’s been here like 50 years, 40 years, you got a lot of workers that have been there that long like half they lives, yeah sad day,” Harden said.

North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Derrell Hartwick, said the chamber will remain committed to helping these employees find new jobs, with a goal of keeping them in the city.

“We have talked with the city, I’ve already had talks with the mayor, and our economic development team, and the plant manager out there, the chamber’s going to be proactive in this,” Hartwick said. “We want to keep them here, and we’re going to help them in any way we can to stay.”

Officials with Tyson said they’ll offer relocation benefits for those that apply to other Tyson locations, but Harden says he worries for those who may not have that option.

“So, it’s a tough pill to swallow, I mean it’s rough, god bless them, I mean all we can to do is pray for them and make sure they be okay,” Harden said.

The plant is set to close on or about October 7.