Despite torrential rains, dozens of protesters turned out to Portland, Oregon's Bagdad Theater on December 3rd to ask TV chef Paula Deen to have a heart and meet with workers at Smithfield's Tar Heel plant.
The demonstration was the latest in a series of events nationwide asking Paula Deen, who is a paid spokesperson for Smithfield Foods, to help the company become a human rights leader. Participants handed out informational leaflets about the brutal working conditions at Smithfield's Tar Heel plant, and the role of Deen within the company.
Inside the theater, two protesters were escorted out by security after loudly asking Deen to meet with the workers like she promised on Larry King. Deen reportedly shouted from the stage that she would not have a political conversation in the theater.
The demonstrators' spirits were kept high throughout the downpour as local musicians Scott McCaughey and Steve Winn brought out guitars to keep the crowd motivated.
Oregon AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Barbara Byrd and CWA-Portland President Madelyn Elder
Undaunted by the Rain
Tove Holmberg, Ryan Van Winkle, and Shad Baily from ILWU local 5.
Brad Witt is ready for the cooking demo
Event guru Mary Winzig
Demonstrators handed out hundreds of flyers.
UFCW activist in the rain
Shad Baily and Ryan Van Winkle, ILWU
Jobs with Justice talks with Paula Deen fan.
Two of Portland's favorite musicians, Steve Winn and Scott McCaughey keep everyone's spirits high.
UFCW activists having a good time.
Scott McCaughey sings
Steve Winn
Paula Deen On Larry King
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.
