Union, Smithfield remain at odds over secret vote

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dailypress.com/business/local/dp-13237sy0aug30,0,7276679.story

Union, Smithfield remain at odds over secret vote

Labor organizers say the company won't meet with them. Smithfield says the union canceled a Friday meeting.

BY CHRIS FLORES | 247-4738
August 30, 2007

WILLIAMSBURG - At the heart of the big protest outside Smithfield Foods' annual meeting Wednesday is the question of how a union can be fairly elected at the world's largest hog slaughterhouse in North Carolina.

Two past elections in the 1990s, both of which rejected joining the United Commercial Food and Commercial Workers Inter- national Union, were marred by the company's use of intimidation and violence. Smithfield was forced by a court last year to rehire 10 workers whom it fired during the last election in 1997, as well as post a notice admitting its guilt.

Smithfield's appeals of legal actions stemming from the 1997 vote lasted almost a decade. Now the company and union are at an impasse over how to conduct another vote. The union distrusts the company because of the past, and Smithfield has rejected calls for a process that allows workers to sign cards to join the union.


Participants in the Justice at Smithfield march demonstrate against Smithfield Foods on Wednesday in Williamsburg. They headed to the Williamsburg Lodge, where the company’s shareholders meeting was held. (Sangjib Min, Daily Press / August 29, 2007)


The union said in interviews Wednesday that the company wouldn't even meet with them.

But CEO C. Larry Pope angrily said at Wednesday's shareholder gathering that there was, in fact, a meeting between Smithfield executives and UFCW officials in Richmond on Monday.

A follow-up meeting was scheduled for Friday, but the union canceled it, Pope said.


FULL story at link.