Children demand justice for Smithfield workers

Harris Teeter is a supermarket chain with stores in six southern states. To honor their parents on Fathers Day, June 17, children of Smithfield Packing workers led a spirited march to the home of Harris Teeter’s president in Charlotte, N.C. After a short prayer vigil in front of a Harris Teeter shop, workers, their families and supporters marched to nearby HT President Fred Morganthall’s home where they delivered a huge Father’s Day card.

The card asked Morganthall to help in ending abusive and unsafe working conditions. It included messages from the workers’ children urging Harris Teeter to support their just demands and drop Smithfield pork products from their stores. Harris Teeter’s brand of bacon is even made at the Smithfield plant.

Of course, Harris Teeter denied any responsibility for the workers’ conditions in a statement released this past March.

Smithfield Packing is the largest hog processing plant in the world, located in Tar Heel, N.C. It was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents this past January when 21 workers were detained and sent to detention facilities as far away as Georgia. There is an ongoing campaign for Justice at Smithfield. To learn more see www.smithfieldjustice.com.