DC Council Introduces Resolution on Smithfield
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
A resolution introduced Monday in DC City Council condemns Smithfield Foods
and asks area supermarkets not to stock products from the prominent meat
company. Hearings will be held in the fall. Councilmembers Phil Mendelson and
Marion Barry introduced a Sense of the Council resolution charging Smithfield
with having created an environment of "intimidation and fear for workers who
desperately want a voice on the job.Smithfield Foods has denied employees workers' compensation after they have been injured on the
job, and has even fired injured workers." Co-sponsors included Chairman Vincent
Gray and Councilmembers Muriel Bowser, Jack Evans, Harry Thomas, Kwame Brown,
Jim Graham, Tommy Wells and Yvette Alexander. The resolution comes after the
announcement of a major campaign in DC and Prince George's County last month led
by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, the Metro Washington Council
AFL-CIO, other unions, over 75 area churches, families of workers, the local
NAACP, and many others. Click
here to get involved in the campaign and here to sign a petition
against Smithfield’s worker abuses.