Smithfield Workers Take Justice Campaign To New York City

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/4289

Smithfield Workers Take Justice Campaign To New York City

By Doug Cunningham

Workers at Smithfield Foods and union organizers trying to help them win union rights and end abuses at the company are taking their campaign to New York City today. Keith Ludlum is a Smithfield worker trying to get union representation at the hog processing plant in Tar Heel North Carolina . Ludlum was fired for union organizing efforts in 1994 and just returned to work at Smithfield after a 12- year court battle to win back his job.

: "There's no teeth in the federal labor laws right now to protect workers. They're basically stopping workers from standing up for their rights and having a say in the workplace. The abuses are happening in North Carolina and the workers are being disabled in North Carolina and they're sellin' the products in New York. They're selling the products all over the world."

Eduardo Pena is an organizer for the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Pena say workers slaughtering, cutting and processing as many as 32,000 hogs a day are brutalized by the relentless fast pace, low pay and unsafe working conditions at Smithfield and people in places like New York
Can help the North Carolina workers win justice at Smithfield.

: "People in New York and people in the places where Smithfield Foods sell their product have the ability to make a change, make a difference."


AUDIO for story link: http://www.laborradio.org/files/lo/winsheadlines.ram

[HockeyMom]

1. My next purchase of bacon won't be Smithfield

Thank you for letting us know.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

3. Smithfield products sold under many labels...

...check out for list of labels that Smithfield processes for, such as John Morrell, Peyton's, Western Family/Affiliated processed meats, etc. The John Morrell plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was purchased by Smithfield several years ago and they also gained Morrell's long list of "private labels".

[mcscajun]

2. No more Smithfield bacon in this house!

NFW.

[underpants]

4. Smithfield Foods give 3:1 to Republicans (surprised?)

http://www.raisingkaine.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3150

Let's get something out of the way first. Yes, Smithfield Foods gives to both Democrats and Republicans. However, its contributions go overwhelmingly to Republicans, many of whom are the biggest immigrant bashing hypocrites around.
In fact, since 1998, Smithfield Foods has given $399,243 to Republicans and $124,500 to Democrats. That's a 3:1 ratio, Republican to Democrat.

[Omaha Steve]

5. Thank you ALL for the added info and comments

I've been so busy, this is my first chance to catch up. I just wish more people understood the importance of solidarity for working people union AND non union etc...