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Victory for Smithfield Workers

A 16-year unionization campaign gets a happy ending.

By Paul Abowd

On Dec. 11, 52 percent of workers voted to unionize at Tar Heel, N.C.-based Smithfield hog plant, the world’s largest hog slaughterhouse. The slim margin is a poor indicator of an enormous victory, following a 16-year drive in a state with only 3.3 percent union density—the lowest in the country. Smithfield set up shop in 1992 in North Carolina, where right-to-work… return to article

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    Page 1 of 1 pages

    Way to go workers of smithfield. I have not purchased products of smithfield for nearly a year now since I became aware of the workers fight while visiting DC last year.

    I hope this is only the start in North Carolina and other Right to Fire and intimidate states, opps I mean right to work states.

    Loyal union supporter.

    Michael Chapman

    Germany Posted by Michael Chapman on Feb 8, 2009 at 1:13 PM

    ‘now or never, (the) Union(ize) forever…’

    United States Posted by J. Rankin on Feb 12, 2009 at 5:24 PM
    Page 1 of 1 pages
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