Religious, Labor and Community Leaders to Expose Company’s Stepped Up Fight Against Workers Rights
Actions to Demand Case Farm Stop Intimidating Workers

Morganton, N.C.– The NC Poultry Justice Alliance (NCPJA) is taking a fact-finding delegation of religious, labor and community activists to Morganton, N.C. to investigate allegations of worker intimidation at Case Farms poultry processing plant on Sunday, August 1 between 5 and 9 p.m. and Monday, August 2 between 8 a.m. and noon at St. Charles Borromeo Church located in Morganton at 728 Union. In order to force the union out of the negotiations, Case Farms decided “to withhold work and initiate a partial lock out,” said Ken Wilson of Case Farms in a company memo dated May 28.The delegation will investigate reports that Case Farms has also hired “security” to intimidate workers.

The NC Poultry Justice Alliance is a project of the Interfaith Worker Justice’s Poultry Justice Project and part of a network of 44 local interfaith committees fighting for worker justice. The delegation will investigate whether or not the company’s recently hired security, a former sheriff and his deputy, are intimidating workers. And to confirm a memo pledging to lock workers out one day a week unless the union accepts their contract proposals.

Delegates:
Rev. Jamye Christie, United Methodist Women;
Rev. Jim Lewis, Delmarva Poultry Justice Alliance;
Rev. Tim Hoyt, Episcopal Diocese;
James Andrew, President of North Carolina AFL-CIO
Rev. Nelson Johnson, Faith Community Church & Pulpit Forum;
Rev. Dr. Jerry Taylor;
Tom O'Connor, North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health (NCOSH);
Ben Judkins, North Carolina Council of Churches;
Joanne Frazer, Catholic Diocese of Charlotte.

Photo opportunities: August 1: The delegation plans to hear from workers.
August 2: Delegation seeks to tour plant and talk to management.

“This is outrageous. If these allegations are true, these workers don’t need people patrolling and intimidating them,” said Rev. Nelson Johnson. “God said do unto others as you would have them do unto you. They need an employer that respects their desire to have union representation, descent wages and benefits and safe working conditions.”

“I welcome the delegation and hope it spurs the union and the company to come together for the good of the workers,” said Father Ken Whittington, pastor of St. Charles Catholic Church in Morganton.

North Carolina Poultry Justice Alliance is a statewide coalition that fights for poultry worker justice. Affiliate organizations include religious, labor unions and community groups.

The Problem:
Case Farm workers have fought for four years to have a union represent their complaints of intolerable line speeds, lack of bathroom breaks and arbitrary supervisory treatment to have a union represent them. Although there was an election held in favor of having Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 700 represent the poultry workers, but despite four years of pro-union rulings by the National Labor Relations Board and the district courts–the company has fought a dead end battle to resist signing a contract with the workers.

Most recently, Case Farms has threatened to lock out workers, and has beefed up security possibly to intimidate workers. There are also allegations that Case Farms hires immigrants promising that the company will secure naturalization documents.

This situation is indicative of the majority of plants within the poultry industry, including wage and hour violations. The poultry industry has constructed an intricate system of deceit, exploitation and intimidation that cause health problems, and forces, at best, economic hardship and at worse death, on in-plant workers, chicken farmers, and chicken catchers, and their families.

The Solution:
The poultry industry should follow the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have done unto you. The industry must do more than be lip professors. They must ensure that workers receive a living wage, descent benefits, and safe working conditions. And respect the workers’ lawful right to organize. The Department of Labor must take a more aggressive role to force unwilling poultry plant owners to obey the laws that protect workers rights and educate workers on just what are their rights.

The Action:
The NC Poultry Justice Alliance is taking a fact finding delegation to Morganton, NC to investigate allegations at Case Farms poultry processing plant on Sunday, August 1 between 5 and 9 p.m. and Monday, August 2 between 8 am and noon. The coalition of clergy, union, and laity will hear from workers about the conditions they face; will attempt to meet with management, and talk to plant officials about the hiring of immigrant. Also, the Interfaith Worker Justice is in the final stages of completing a North Carolina Poultry Workers’ Rights Manual to educate workers about their rights.

For more information contact:
NORTH CAROLINA POULTRY JUSTICE ALLIANCE
1556 Lamont Norwood Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312
919/929-6104 (Phone/Fax)
email: debyoungnc@AOL.com