smithfield

Today Jerry Meek attempted to discretely decline a donation from Smithfield Foods.

Their reaction was typical of Smithfield: threats and intimidation.

It is sadly the truth that Smithfield has gotten away with intimidating their workers for over a decade. While Smithfield may be adept at denying the defenseless a voice, they apparently had less luck with my boss:

Ms. Theresa Kostrzewa
2349 Churchill Road
Raleigh, NC 27608

RE: Smithfield Foods and Smithfield Packing

Dear Theresa:

I wanted to follow-up with you regarding our conversation this morning. In that conversation, I informed you of our decision not to accept a contribution from your clients, Smithfield Foods and Smithfield Packing. You indicated that I was making a big mistake, and that you were going to notify corporate executives across this State of our decision not to accept this contribution.

Today, North Carolina Public Radio’s “The State of Things” will have a live segment on Smithfield’s massive lawsuit against the United Food and Commercial Workers union. The host, Frank Stasio, will have labor law professor Marion Crain on as a guest, and will be accepting calls during the segment.

Listen! The segment is expected to air between 12:35-1 PM. You can listed to the show at the following frequencies:

91.5-The Triangle
88.9-Manteo and the Coast, or
90.9-Rocky Mount and surroundings

You can also listen online at www.wunc.org . Just click on one of their live streaming options under “listen now.”

Got this in my email today. Unfortunately it's no surprise that Smithfield will stop at nothing to ensure the continued domination of their employees.

Smithfield Foods' suit against the UFCW comes as no surprise, given the company's abuse of the law for more than a decade.

The company's violations against workers at its Tar Heel, North Carolina, plant are well documented in public records, including illegally firing, intimidating, assaulting, using racial epithets and spying on workers. Twice workers attempted to exercise a choice for union representation at the Tar Heel plant, and twice the company suppressed their rights by violating the law.

-- I'm front-paging this because it concerns Unions in North Carolina, a subject we should discuss more. (RP)

This email popped up in my box, thought it might be of general interest:

The Justice@Smithfield Campaign in support of the workers at Smithfield Foods' Tar Heel plant has already seen remarkable results. The company's pork products have been pulled from shelves of many supermarkets, presidential candidates have made the workers' plight an issue on the campaign trail, national churches and cities have passed support resolutions, and a major network of faith, civil rights, and labor organizations has been formed to speak out on behalf of justice at Smithfield. Those of you who were able to join us last month at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia witnessed the power of this network when it joins with workers from the plant.

It seems like every time the UFCW organizing drive at Smithfield gains traction, Immigration and Customs Enforcement goons magically show up to terrorize the company's immigrant workers:

Federal immigration officials conducted a raid Wednesday -- the second this year -- at Smithfield Foods' giant pork slaughterhouse in Bladen County.

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.

This week's column is about my recent decision to give up corporate pork.

After I wrote the column, I had the pleasure of attending quite an event and hearing Carlo Petrini speak. There's audio of his remarks and photos at The Carrboro Citizen's new site dedicated to our area's rich agriculture and food traditions. Please take a look at Land & Table and tell me what you think.

Here's the column:

Dear Triangle-area Supporters,

On Monday, April 16th at 7PM, former Smithfield worker Lorena Ramos will join a worker from a Tyson poultry plant and a farmworker to describe the unjust, dangerous and sometimes unlawful practices of Wal-Mart's food suppliers. This free, public event is part the the Wal-Mart Food and Agricultural Worker Tour. Don't miss your chance to hear stories behind Wal-Mart's everyday low prices! Sponsored by Duke Students Against Sweatshops and the Duke Muslim Student Association, this event will take place at 7PM in Old Chemistry Building, Room 116 (West Campus) on Monday, April 16. Here's a link to a campus map with the Old Chemistry Building highlighted: http://map.duke.edu/?bidw06

Last week, Smithfield foods announced an agreement with the feds over a new union election. This on the heels of another walkout at the plant after another immigration raid. Not a great time for an election one might think.

Union officials say the election can't move forward, pointing out that there are still cases pending charging unfair labor practices (like the unfair practice of threatening or attacking workers engaged in legal protests). The feds seem to agree. The last few elections were a nightmare. Throw into this one even more volatile immigration politics and and the recent history of raids and actions.

Links: Fay-O on the story. Previously in EJS, Smithfield Justice site. Press release on union vote (pdf).

Via the Ex Files:

Is Lenoir feeling lucky? Google tax breaks around $100 million. N&O:

Google, which has not committed to a site in Lenoir, could bring $600 million in new investment, equal to half the city's tax base and more than 10 percent of Caldwell County's.

The interesting thing about this to me is that what Google is setting up a server farm and needs a site with a good power infrastructure. Lenoir's lost a lot of manufacturing jobs. The unemployment rate has hovered around 9 percent for a year and has been among the highest in the state for almost a decade. But the power grid that supplied the factories is still there.

Meanwhile,