Smithfield workers demand justice

On Aug. 29, 150 workers at the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Tar Heel, N.C., and their family members traveled to Williamsburg, Va., to confront the stockholders of the corporation. The workers were joined by hundreds of supporters from New York, Virginia, Philadelphia, Richmond, Maryland, South Carolina and elsewhere, swelling the loud, passionate and diverse crowd to more than a thousand.

WW photo: Susanne Kelly

Almost everyone in the crowd wore a bright yellow “Justice/Justicia for Smithfield” shirt. Chants like “What’s disgusting? Union busting!” and “What’s outrageous? Sweatshop wages!” rang out along the march route.

The demonstration was the largest ever seen in Williamsburg, a tourist site built by the Rockefellers and often the site of international and national meetings of ruling class “dignitaries.” This time it was the shareholders, the “owners” of Smithfield Foods—the large pork processing company that has been fighting the workers’ right to form a union. The plant in Tar Heel is the world’s largest hog processing plant, and the work there is difficult and dangerous.

Injuries have jumped 200 percent since 2003, due largely to speeded up lines and inadequate training. Poverty wages, brutal working conditions and crippling injuries are faced by the more than 5,000 workers at the Tar Heel plant, who are overwhelmingly African American and Latin@.

Cited by Human Rights Watch for violations of international human rights standards, the company has tried to create an atmosphere of intimidation and violence for workers who want a union voice on the job. In a classic tactic of the ruling class everywhere, the company has attempted to suppress workers’ efforts to fight back and organize by trying to foster racial tensions among the workers. Smithfield workers at the Tar Heel plant say no!

The rally and march began with an interdenominational faith service; First Baptist Church was packed. Afterwards, the group, stretching as far as the eye could see in any direction, marched to the site of the stockholders meeting. Although the local cops kept most of the demonstrators from getting near the meeting, a small contingent of workers, union and community leaders were allowed to speak to the shareholders inside the meeting. The contingent presented the stockholders with petitions signed by thousands of Tar Heel workers, representing a strong majority of the workers at the plant.

Press reports after the event said Smithfield bosses agreed to enter talks with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The rally ended with workers making clear their commitment to see this struggle through—chants of “We will be back!” filled the air.

What can we do? Many store brands are actually made by Smithfield. Find out where the bacon you buy is made and if it’s from Smithfield foods, ask your local store not to carry it. Visit the Justice for Smithfield Web site at www.smithfieldjustice.com or email [email protected].