Posts Categorized: Meat Packing

The International’s Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing (FPPM) Division held a chain meeting on Nov. 18 to 21 in Omaha, Neb., to address ways we can strengthen jobs in the meatpacking and food processing sectors.

More than 200 UFCW staff and members who work in these sectors attended the meeting, which included legal, health and safety, and chemical workers workshops, as well as workshops for members in the food processing, poultry, beef and pork sectors. The meeting also included employer-specific workshops for members who work at Cargill, Smithfield, JBS, Pilgrim’s Pride, Tyson Foods, and Hormel plants.

“I learned a lot from the chain meeting workshops because, these days, a lot is changing with the company’s operations, especially now with automation and line speeds,” said José Guzman, who is a member of UFCW Local 770 and a steward at Farmer John in Vernon, Calif.

“I want to thank Local 2 and the UFCW FPPM Division for the valuable information presented at this year’s FPPM chain meeting,” said José Vasquez, who is a member of UFCW Local 2 and a steward at National Beef in Dodge City, Kan. “The educational workshops allow me to learn more and educate the rest of the stewards at my plant.”

UFCW Local 700 recently cosponsored a festival to celebrate the diversity of its members who work at the Tyson plant in Logansport, Ind. About 1,800 people process pork at the plant, and the festival shared food and traditions from around the globe, with more than a dozen countries represented. UFCW Local 700 negotiated for resources for the festival, and partnered with the company to help pay tribute to the diverse group of people who work at the plant.

“Workers at Tyson, from different backgrounds and different countries, come together to process the food served on dinner tables in our communities,” said UFCW Local 700 President Joe Chorpenning. “This celebration is a great opportunity to come together in fellowship and to learn more about the folks we stand shoulder to shoulder with every day on the plant floor.”