Check this out about our old friends (not!) at Smithfield Foods:
A series of new documents obtained by American Rights at Work describe corporate lobbyist and front group architect Rick Berman's business dealings with notorious anti-union company Smithfield Foods in two recent court filings. The documents, found in the federal court system's public docket, depict Berman as an integral part of the company's anti-union efforts over the last decade.This discovery is significant to understand the true intent of Berman's latest operation: two anti-union front groups that attack candidates who want to make it easier for people to join unions. Under Berman's direction - and with a $30 million budget - the Center for Union Facts and the Employee Freedom Action Committee aggressively attack pro-worker Senate and House candidates for their support of the Employee Free Choice Act.
Core to the message of Berman's front groups is his assertion that the groups are either "pro-worker" or "not anti-union." Today's revelations - that Berman is an actual, for-profit unionbuster - should squash any semblance of Berman's supposed impartiality.
According to the court documents, Berman did work for Smithfield, and was offered a high-priced retainer through his for-profit firm, Berman and Company. In an email to Smithfield's top executives, an advisor to the company's Chairman shed light on Berman's involvement:
Great stuff, huh? Oh, and besides being anti-union, Smithfield also exploits undocumented workers, trashes the environment (hog sewage lagoons, anyone?), and buys off our politicians to prevent anyone from cracking down on them. The question is, why are any Virginia politicians taking money from this scumbag company, and why are any of us buying their products?
P.S. For more on Smithfield Foods, see here and here just for starters.
Along with Smithfield Foods, workers at Verizon may go on strike this Sunday at 12:01 AM. Like Smithfield Foods, Verizon has been fighting against its good CWA and IBEW workers for years, and almost always draws out negotiations to the point of a strike or the threat of a strike. Verizon also feeds the pocketbooks of many of our staunchest Democrats (both through campaign contributions and as actual employees). No Union should EVER contribute a dime to any politician who also takes money from anti-Union companies.
By agreeing to buy a 4.95% stake in the world's largest hog breeder and pork processor, Smithfield Foods of the United States, China's largest food importer and exporter, the COFCO Group,is signaling its intention to upgrade conditions for the hogs it plans to raise in a newly launched green initiative .
Article here
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