An attempt by meat processor Smithfield to reach a compromise with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International union over the unionisation of its Tar Heel plant in North Carolina have failed, with the union rejecting Smithfield’s proposed plan for an employee vote on the issue.
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Smithfield said it had presented a written proposal to Patrick O’Neil, an executive vice president with the union, which included “significant compromises that far exceed the requirements of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)”.
Under the proposal, all employees would be informed of the election process at a joint meeting held by Smithfield and the UFCW, Smithfield would tell employees they are free to meet with union representatives and would agree to bargain in good faith with the UFCW if the employees vote for union representation.
Smithfield, which has been accused in the past of pressurising employees not to join a union, said it would limit its campaign activities to a series of plant messages with employees, and the UFCW would be allowed to monitor those messages and be given equal time to address Tar Heel employees. All campaign messages would be approved for truthfulness by a third party, while both sides would agree to avoid personal attacks.
Smithfield agreed to provide the UFCW with an accurate list of current employees, including their address and phone number, while campaign votes would be counted by a third party, with the company and the union monitoring the count.
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By GlobalData“It’s become evident that the UFCW has absolutely no interest in letting the employees at Tar Heel vote on the issue of union representation,” said Joe Luter IV, Smithfield’s president and chief operating officer. “We have made extraordinary efforts to give the union the opportunity to have a fair election process at Smithfield. In our proposal, we have agreed to limit our campaign activities, offered to provide the union leaders access to our messages before we share them with the employees, and given the UFCW unprecedented opportunities to communicate directly with our employees.”
