Led by workers from Tar Heel North Carolina, four hundred NYC union, religious and community activists protested in front of Smithfield Foods New York City Park Avenue corporate offices to call for a halt to the abuse of Tar Heel workers. As Smithfield workers spoke eloquently about the need for a union they held up signs carrying the names of 6,000 people from around the country who joined a unique "virtual protest" by signing up via the internet and calling the company to tell them to give Tar Heel workers the protection of a UFCW union contract.
On a beautiful fall NYC day the crowd chanted and cheered as one NYC leader after another joined the workers on stage to commit their organizations to the fight for Justice@Smithfield. Sonia Ivany, President of LCLAA, announced that a resolution will be introduced into the NYC City Council to begin a process of taking product from the Tar Heel plant out of City agencies and eventually out of city supermarkers.
NY supporters showing banners with more than 6000 names of the virtual marchers.
Stuart Appelbaum, the President of RWDSU who MC'd the rally, read a letter to the crowd addressed to Joe Luter III, chairman of the Smithfield Board, demanding that he "do the right thing" and give Tar Heel workers get the same rights and protections that Smithfield's unionized workers get in plants located in other states. He then led a delegation, along with Reverend David Dyson, that entered the building to deliver the letter along with the names of the 6000 "virtual marchers" from around the country.
The delegation reported back to a cheering crowd that they were met by a Smithfield official who told them that Smithfield "wasn't doing any business today and therefore we won't take your letter." "We shut them down," Dyson told the rally.
The rally ended with a long and loud chant "We'll be Back!"
Check the photographs of the New York City Event. - Click here
The Council of Churches of Greater Washington, a coalition of 75 area churches, passed a resolution condemning Smithfield Foods for creating an environment of intimidation and fear for workers and encourages its congregants to take direct action by not purchasing Smithfield products and contacting the company. Click for a copy of the resolution in html or as a pdf.
DC City Council introduces resolution condemning Smithfield Foods for creating an environment of intimidation and fear for workers and encourages all supermarkets and vendors in DC from stocking Smithfield meat products. Click for a copy of the resolution in html or as a pdf.
The August '08 issue of Business North Carolina features a cover story on the Justice@Smithfield campaign. Read the article in html or as a pdf.
New York Times columnist Adam Liptak discusses the lawsuit against Justice@Smithfield and the First Amendment. Read the column.
Fayetteville Observer: "Ruling forbids Smithfield Packing using threats"
The March '08 cover story in Labor Notes asks, "Is Fighting for Justice at Smithfield Racketeering?"
Smithifield's Tar Heel workers win a paid Martin Luther King Holiday. Read the press release.
Avram Lyon says when he sees Paula Deen on TV, "all I can think of are the people working under horrible conditions at Smithfield." Read his article in the Forward.
Breast Cancer foundation sues Smithfield Foods for trademark violation.
Read Justice@Smithifield's statement on the U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit court ruling on Smithfield.
The final quarter of Paula Deen's hour-long appearence on NPR's Diane Rehm Show Nov. 28 was dominated by questions over her association with Smithfield Foods. Listen to the show using Windows Media Viewer or Real Player.
On Thursday, November 8, 2007, activists with the Western Massachusetts Jobs With Justice organized a protest outside a brand new Big Y supermarket in Northampton. Read More.
On September 12, the Bergen County (NJ) Central Trades and Labor Council passed a resolution calling on Smithfield to "[o]bey the law, by providing a safe workplace, giving Smithfield workers the right to chose a union...free from interferene of any kind."
On August 6, Smithfield Tar Heel plant worker Jose Ozorio Figueroa was terminated. Company representatives claim it was for showing up four minutes late to his shift, but Ozorio believes that he was fired for his union activities. Read his statement.
Presidential Master Chef Talli V. Counsel asks celebrity chef Paula Deen to use her influence to end the “brutal working conditions” at Smithfield’s Tar Heel Plant. Read more.
On August 1, 2007, the City of Boston passed a resolution calling on the city to "review its purchasing of any products from the Smithfield Packing Company in Tar Heel, North Carolina....and suspend these purchases until the company ends all form of abuse, inimidation and violence against its workers..." It also encourages Boston supermarkets "to consider suspending their purchase of any Smithfield products..."
On Saturday, July 14, dozens of Nashville clergy, civil rights leaders and consumers rallied to demand that two area supermarkets to stop stocking Smithfield Foods pork products made at the company’s Tar Heel plant. Read more.
More than 100 supporters rallied in front of a Publix supermarket in Atlanta to demand that the market stop carrying pork products from Smithfield's Tar Heel plant. Read More.
More than 250 family members and supporters of Smithfield Workers delivered a Father’s Day Card to Harris Teeter’s president. Read the news coverage [With Video].
On June 4, the City of Cambridge, MA unanimously passed a resolution in support Smithfield workers in Tar Heel. Read the historic resolution.
Children of Smithfield workers will deliver a Father's Day card to Harris Teeter's PresidentDownload the flyer.
Jim Hightower: Paula Deen "has cooked up a big ol' mess of political controversy for herself." Read the story.
