John Edwards Rallies with Smithfield Workers

On June 21st, I was watching my wife recover from an appendectomy, so you will forgive me if this has been blogged, but I haven't seen it. Recently, John Autry posted about the Smithfield Workers, and he said this:

That is why I stood with workers from the Smithfield packing plant on June 16th as they tried to draw attention to their struggle. We marched from the Harris Teeter in south Charlotte to the home of Harris Teeter's CEO to deliver a Father's Day card from the children of Smithfield workers...It has been some time since I felt so gratified to be with a group of people. The stories I heard made me wonder if we were really in 2007. A man who came down with colon cancer was terminated and lost his health coverage. Undocumented workers who attempt to participate in organizing are visited by INS. Workers being injured from working in close proximity with sharp instruments.

The Democratic Party can't forget its labor roots, in fact, we need to make our roots with labor stronger than ever. At a time when the average fully-employed male makes less than he did in the 70s, and at a time when family buying power is at a low not seen since after the Great Depression, it will be the unions and labor that help us fight for Democratic ideals. That is why I was glad to see John Edwards take time away from the early primary/caucus states and 2nd quarter fundraising to hold an event with the Smithfield workers here in Chapel Hill. No one has pushed harder for labor in recent history than John Edwards and it is good to see that he isn't afraid of being labeled a labor-lover by the Neocons.

John Edwards met with Smithfield workers to support their effort to organize and to discuss the struggles they face and the importance of protecting workers’ right to organize. Their meeting took place in Chapel Hill, N.C. on June 21, 2007. Photo by Adam Lord.

If you aren't familiar with the struggle, smithfieldjustice.com is a good place to start.

Poverty wages, brutal conditions, crippling injuries--5,500 workers in Tar Heel, North Carolina face this every day at the world's largest hog processing plant. Cited by Human Rights Watch for violating international human rights standards, Smithfield Packing has created an environment of intimidation, racial tension, and sometimes violence for workers who want a voice on the job.

The story in the N&O that I linked above also does a good job of describing why Smithfield is such a symbolic battle, the Selma of the labor union movement.

Earlier this year, Smithfield reached a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board and agreed to pay $1.1 million in back wages, plus interest, to employees fired by the company during union elections held in 1993 and 1997. The company's abuses during those union elections turned Smithfield into a symbol for labor movement, said Richard Hurd, a Cornell University professor of labor relations.