November 18: SMITHFIELD WORKERS WIN
NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT WITH
COMPANY ON UNNECESSARY FIRINGS
see also We Did it!
Workers at Tar Heel plant ignite
widespread call for justice at world's
largest pork plant
Tar Heel, North Carolina--After a two-day walk out by hundreds of
workers,
Smithfield Packing agreed to workers demands to halt the wholesale
firings
of employees and agreed to reconsider their implementation of
immigration
policies in the plant. The company, for the first time, also agreed to
meet with a group of workers elected by the workers themselves to
further
negotiate about plant issues and employee concerns on Tuesday.
The catalyst for the protest was a disagreement between the workers and
the company about Smithfield's improper use of social security data to
wrongfully terminate employees. Social security data is no determinant
of
work authorization or immigration status. In other Smithfield
operations
where workers are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers
Union (UFCW), contract language provides for a systematic and
constructive
process for workers and the employer to resolve issues such as
immigration
and work status. Workers at the Smithfield Tar Heel plant have been
struggling for the protection of a union contract for over a decade.
The walk-out generated thousands of calls to the company from national
religious, civil rights and immigrant rights organizations demanding
that
the workers? rights be respected. Organizations included the National
Baptist Convention, the Progressive Baptist Convention, the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference, the North Carolina NAACP, National
Council of Churches and Rainbow Push. Eric Schlosser, whose new movie
Fast
Food Nation opens this weekend, issued a public statement condemning
the
company for its victimization of the workers.
Following the walk out, the company agreed to negotiate around the
workers? issues through the Catholic Church and its attorneys. The
company
acknowledged that they had misinterpreted the law and agreed to make
appropriate adjustments to comply.
"We're glad the company did the right thing and recognized that they
were
mistaken in the way that they were applying these policies. The fact
that
they sat down and negotiated over the workers' concerns is an example
of
the kind of process that benefits everyone, the company, community and
employees allowing all to resolve differences. This is a historic break
from Smithfield Packing's long history of confrontation and
intimidation
of their workers in Tar Heel and we hope this will continue" says Gene
Bruskin, UFCW Director of the Smithfield Justice campaign, a coalition
of
labor, immigrant rights, civil rights, faith and student groups.
Specifically, the workers and the company have already agreed to the
following:
- Smithfield has agreed to increase the time allowed for employees
to
respond to "no match" letters from the Social Security Administration.
- Employees who have been laid off for failure to resolve Social
Security issues may return to work while they sort out these issues.
- Smithfield's Human Resources Department will designate a staff
member to
help process "no match" Social Security issues and respond to questions.
- Smithfield has agreed that if mistakes have been made, they will
be
addressed.
- No disciplinary actions of any kind will be taken against those
employees
- who participated in the walkout.
Tar Heel plant manager Larry Johnson will meet again with a group of
Smithfield employees on Tuesday, November 21 at 2:00 pm.
Employees will return to work on Saturday, November 18th.
The UFCW represents 1.3 million workers, including 250,000 in the meat
packing and food processing industries.
*Click in the link below to SIGN UP for the Smithfield Tar Heel Free
Holiday Celebrations
http://smithfieldjustice.com/Holiday_Celebration/index.php
Sincerely,
JUSTICE AT SMITHFIELD TEAM