Nelson Johnson writes the N&0: "Smithfield Packing has refused to grant its hard-working employees Martin Luther King Day as a holiday...over 5,500 predominantly African-American and Latino workers at the Smithfield Packing plant in Tar Heel will be forced to continue their daily backbreaking toil at the world's largest pork processing plant. We find Smithfield's actions unconscionable and urge the company to change its mind and say yes to the workers' demand."

Previously.

Comments

[sean coon]

"they"?

[Ed Cone]

"They write letters" is a popular blog-hed formulation for posts about letter writing; I know Nelson and recognize that he is singular, not plural.

[Bubba]

".....will be forced to continue their daily backbreaking toil....."

Yes indeed.

Apparently, Smithfield is run by Simon Legree.

Hopefully, Tom won't have to die in Nelson Johnson's 21st century version of the story.

[sean coon]

gotcha. i've never heard of the convention before, so it read as a provocative title.

[Ed Cone]

Might be a riff on Letterman's CBS Mailbag themesong, "we get letters..."

[sean coon]

hm.. btw, the parade was a bunch of fun. i'll have video and pictures up soon.

[The CA]

Smithfield has a history of being unconscionable. Just look at their history of hog waste pollution and nonchalant attitude about it, not to mention that their CEO comes across as an arrogant SOB who doesn't care at all about the treatment of his workers, livestock or the cesspool he has created in eastern North Carolina. Rolling Stone had an excellent story on the Smithfield problem about two months ago. I stopped buying Smithfield products after reading that story. Every person in North Carolina should read that story.

[John D. Young]

Sam, it is great to hear a conservative voice slam Smithfield. Thanks! Can you or Ed post that Rolling Stone article?

Their treatment of workers is unconscionable and their damage to the fragile ecology of Eastern North Carolina's rivers and eventually the marshlands of the coast is again unconscionable and incalculable for its destruction to shellfish, fish and wildlife.

[Ed Cone]

Ask and ye shall receive: Rolling Stone, Boss Hog.

[The CA]

I was going to post the story on my site after I read it last month, but I couldn't find it on the RS website. Ed's magic powers somehow tracked it down. Everyone should read this story. The guy that runs Smithfield is just the kind of greedy fat cat that makes people sick. He doesn't mind trashing a whole section of the state because he doesn't have to live there. As long as he can buy his new plane or whatever it is he does with his money, he doesn't care. A real jackass.

[John D. Young]

Reading that Boss Hog piece is enought to 1. make one a vegetarian, 2. make one accept Jewish and Muslim dietary guidelines or 3. at least go to Earthfare and buy free range or non-injected pork.

What an article!! Thanks Sam and Ed.

[sean coon]

man... that opening picture of the article was enough for me. yes, sam and ed, thanks for the pointer. ugh.

[mebloginm]

May I suggest that this link be emailed to all that we know...as this message needs to be heard far and wide.

I wonder if there are solutions?

[John D. Young]

This is one of the essential stories about Eastern NC. It is wonderful to find the left, right, liberals and conservatives united on an issue. After all, this is really about conserving Eastern NC, the rivers and the coast -- no room for sectarian politics on this one. I greatly appreciate Sam's important remarks above. I have seen tears in the eyes of life time commercial fishermen as they face the reality of this massive pollution constantly heading into the once rich waters of coastal NC. Many fisheries, oyster beds, coastal clams and shrimp have been decimated.

This endless flow of toxic waste heading down NC's beautiful rivers while workers suffer in intolerable conditions does need to change.

Mebloginm is right! We need to spread the word far and wide. As much as I like NC barbeque I am afraid we need to check into all the complicated Smithfield connections and I am sure many others contribute to this endless flow of toxic hog waste all heading eastward.

Sustainable hog farming is (or was) part of our NC culture but this Boss Hog world needs to be known, understood and changed.

[mebloginm]

Pork either needs to change or go. I do not desire to eat pork if our waters and sealife are suffering......sigh...which they are.

There should be an answer already...probably expensive...but I bet there is a solution. With the solution pork should rise in price so that the pork consumer pays.

Other than moaning about this problem....what is being done and how can we help?