For immediate release 6/13/07     Contact: Leila McDowell 202-728-1829

SMITHFIELD INTIMIDATES WORKERS OVER DRINKING WATER AND SAFETY INVESTIGATION

SUPPORTED BY NAACP, CHURCHES AND OTHERS, WORKERS APPEAL TO FEDERAL OSHA CHARGING COERCION, DISCRIMINATION BY SMITHFIELD

Smithfield workers at the Tar Heel, North Carolina plant are filing a complaint today with the Federal Government charging Smithfield with coercion, intimidation and discrimination following an inspection at the plant by the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) that workers say was severely flawed and laced with intimidation.

The complaint, signed by the livestock workers who filed the original OSHA complaint was joined by additional workers from the department.  It charged that "Instead of allowing the North Carolina Department of Labor to inspect and correct the hazards described in our complaint, Smithfield used the Agency to coerce us.  The Agency inspectors intimidated us on Smithfield's behalf by interrogating us about our union sympathies and activities which have nothing to do with investigating and correcting safety and health hazards" and warned of the hopelessness of getting the problems corrected because of Smithfield's power.   It also says that Agency inspectors questioned two livestock employees about specific hazards in the presence of four Smithfield managers, including one from corporate headquarters and that many of the hazardous conditions were never inspected at all.  "The bottom line is that Smithfield controlled the state investigation and obstructed it," states the complaint.

Workers say that the intimidation is continuing against certain employees and asks that Federal OSHA investigate Smithfield and order the Company to end the discrimination against workers for exercising their rights under federal and state law.

The North Carolina Council of Churches which is joining the NAACP in supporting the workers in their attempts to get access to clean drinking water and repairs of the safety hazards says new, thorough inspection without any intimidation or coercion of the workers is needed.

"The church has long been a voice calling on the powerful to be accountable for their treatment of laborers.   So we now call attention to another
shameful action by Smithfield Foods.  When they collude with North Carolina OSHA inspectors to inquire only about their workers' union activity, instead of looking into legitimate reported health and safety violations, both the
company and NC OSHA are exposed as corrupt.  Anyone who expects fair use of tax dollars and safe conditions for North Carolina meatpackers will demand that this inspection stunt be exposed and rectified," said Barbara Zelter on behalf of the North Carolina Council of Churches.

For information contact Leila McDowell at 202 728 1829.  LMcDowell@ufcw.org.

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