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Justice at Smithfield
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Justice at Smithfield
Justice @ Smithfield
Poverty level wages , brutal conditions, crippling injuries--this is what 5,500 workers face every day when they walk in the door of the world's largest hog processing plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina. Smithfield Packing has created an environment of intimidation, racial tension, fear, and sometimes, violence, for workers who desperately want a voice on the job.
To meet production goals, the processing lines move exceedingly fast. Workers are under extreme pressure to keep up, and some have reported being verbally abused, or even fired, if they fall behind. Others try to keep up to the best of their abilities, but very few work in this plant for more than a couple months without suffering an injury. Safety and health is one of many workers’ rights issues at the plant. Human Rights Watch has cited Smithfi eld Packing for violating international human rights standards in two reports. According to Human Rights Watch, Smithfield has violated the rights of workers to organize a union, has denied workers’ compensation to injured workers, and has retailiated against workers for reporting injuries. Smithfield Packing is a serial labor law violator, having blatantly refused to abide by National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions which ordered it to stop unlawfully assaulting, firing, intimidating and threatening workers with violence and arrest. Even after a federal appeals court in May 2006 ruled against Smithfield and upheld the NLRB’s cease and desist order, the company continues to disrespect the law. Despite incredible pressure from the company, hundreds of dedicated Smithfi eld workers are committed to fi ght for a voice on the job. After 10 years of abuse, workers who want to organize their plant understand that holding a fair election now would be virtually impossible. They’re asking Smithfi eld to sit down with them and with the union to put in place a process that allows Tar Heel workers to finally have a voice on the job. They’re talking to their co-workers, exercising their right to organize, and working to overcome racial and language barriers that the company has exploited in the past to divide people. With the help of local unions around the country, civil rights organizations, and those in the faith and justice communities, Tar Heel workers have taken their fight nationwide through a campaign called Justice@Smithfield--and they’re having success in bringing their efforts to the attention of the media, consumers, and workers around the world. Click Here to read more and join the campaign to bring Justice@Smithfield!
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