Presbytery wants GA to back union in long battle with hog plant
By John H. Adams, The Layman Online, March 15, 2006
The Presbytery of New Hope in North Carolina has asked the 217th General Assembly to adopt a pro-union resolution condemning Smithfield Packing Inc. for still-contested allegations that the company violated workers’ rights at its Tar Heel, N.C., plant.
The plant is the largest pork-processing facility in the world. Its 5,000 workers process more than 32,000 hogs a day. Despite nonstop union-organizing campaigns, workers have voted twice since 1997 against joining the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
The union has argued that a fair election would require that Smithfield’s management refrain from attempts to convince workers to vote against a union. The National Labor Relationships Board (NLRB) did rule that Smithfield in some cases violated workers’ rights, but it did not say management had to abstain fully from arguing against the union.
The union has lined up Jesse Jackson, civil rights groups, college students and clergy to pressure management of the Smithfield plant to agree not to oppose further unionization efforts, according to Feb. 13 story in The New York Times.
Smithfield Packing opposes the suggestion for neutrality. “That is unacceptable,” a spokesman told The Times. “Employees need to make an informed decision as to whether unionization is good for themselves, their families and the company for which they work. Employees are entitled to know the full story, positive and negative, before making a decision.”
The Times said, without any explanation, that one of the reasons the union had failed to organize workers at the Tar Heel plant was friction within the work force: About 65 percent are Hispanic, 25 percent are black, and the remaining 10 percent are white or American Indian.
The New Hope overture accused Smithfield’s management of “intimidating, threatening and harassing workers who engage in organized activity to defend their labor rights, to improve their working conditions, and to ensure their well-being in the workplace.”
It cites reports from workers’ groups; the NLRB finding, which is under appeal in federal court; and a federal court’s ruling that Smithfield’s Chief of Security Danny Priest violated the Ku Klux Klan Act for physically assaulting a pro-union worker and a union organizer after a union election in 1997. The overture does not note that the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals overruled the federal judge.
New Hope is asking the General Assembly to support “justice for workers at Smithfield packing by requesting that Smithfield Packing obey the law; stop the use of threats, intimidation and violence against workers; and implement the NLRB orders to respect workers’ rights and assure safety in the workplace.”
The overture also asks the General Assembly to “communicate this call for justice” to the North Carolina attorney general, the N.C. Department of Labor, the U.S. attorney general, the U.S. Department of Labor, major food chains and Joseph Luter III, chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods.
The text of the overture:
Overture 103. Resolution on Smithfield Packing, Inc. – From the Presbytery of New Hope.
Whereas, Smithfield Packing Inc. is the largest pork producer and processor in the world, and the Smithfield Packing plant in Tar Heel, N.C., is the largest pork-processing facility in the world, employing more than 5,000 workers and slaughtering more than 32,000 hogs a day; and
Whereas, Human Rights Watch, documented in “Blood, Sweat and Fear” (copyright 2004; available at http://www.hrw.org/en/reports/2005/01/24/blood-sweat-and-fear ) that Smithfield Packing has violated internationally recognized human rights standards by using intimidation, threats and violence against workers and still continues to do so; and
Whereas, Human Rights Watch in the same document reported evidence showing that Smithfield Packing discourages workers from reporting workplace injuries; and seeking medical care from their family physician; and
Whereas, evidence show that Smithfield Packing has a history of intimidating, threatening and harassing workers who engage in organized activity to defend their labor rights, to improve their working conditions, and to ensure their well-being in the workplace; and
Whereas, a federal court in North Carolina ruled that Chief of Security Danny Priest violated the Ku Klux Klan Act for physically assaulting a pro-union worker and a union organizer after a union election in 1997; and
Whereas, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found Smithfield Packing guilty of violating workers rights to organize a union and ordered Smithfield to obey the law and allow workers to exercise their legal rights and as a means to promote workplace safety without fear of retaliation or threats; and
Whereas, Smithfield Packing has repeatedly delayed and denied justice for Smithfield workers;
Whereas, Smithfield Packing Inc. and Smithfield sub-contractor QSI Inc, were found guilty of using the Company Police to physically assault workers, cause the false arrest of a worker, and threaten bodily harm in retaliation for legal activities to protest working conditions, in violation of federal labor law;
Whereas, the PC(USA) has a long historical record of being aligned with the poor and oppressed around the world and in our own country and of supporting worker rights and workplace safety;
Therefore be it resolved that General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. supports justice for workers at Smithfield Packing;
By requesting that Smithfield Packing obey the law. Stop the use of threats, intimidation and violence against workers. Implement the NLRB orders to respect workers rights and assure safety in the workplace.
Be it further resolved that Office of the General Assembly communicate this call for justice to:
1. The N.C. attorney general and the N.C. Department of Labor and the U.S. attorney general and the U.S. Department of Labor; and
2. The major food chains-Harris-Teeter, Food Lion, Bi-Lo, Lowes Foods, Piggly-Wiggly, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Target; and
3. Joseph Luter, III, CEO, Smithfield Foods, Inc, 200 Commerce St, Smithfield, VA 23430