Posts Categorized: Poultry

After multiple rounds of negotiations, over 750 members of UFCW Local 1996 who work at Pilgrim’s Pride in Sumter, S.C., ratified a first union contract on June 23 that includes wage increases and other workplace improvements.

These workers joined UFCW Local 1996 in May of 2018 because they wanted better wages and treatment in the workplace. The new three-year agreement is the next phase of that organizing campaign and includes pay raises, halts job outsourcing within the plant, and creates fairness in the disciplinary process.

“Organizing with UFCW Local 1996 at our plant is the best thing that has happened to our work environment since I’ve worked here, and I’m happy to have been a part of the organizing campaign since the beginning,” said Pilgrim’s Pride employee Nicole Lee. “Our contract gets us a pay increase; but more importantly, it gets us the respect, dignity and fairness at work that we so badly needed. It has been so positive for our work environment that we have even seen reduced turnover and a general morale boost at the plant.”

“I’m proud of the work of the members of this plant,” said UFCW Local 1996 President Steve Lomax. “Because of their hard work, dedication and active involvement in the union, this plant was organized, and we kept the company at the table until a fair agreement was reached. Strong members make strong unions, and I am thankful for the strength of these members as they fought to have a voice in their workplace.”

Pilgrim’s Pride is a Brazilian-owned, multi-national food company and one of the largest chicken producers in the United States and Puerto Rico.

UFCW International President Marc Perrone supported the U.S. House Appropriations Committee for taking steps this month to protect the safety of food and workers at our country’s swine slaughter plants.

With the goal of putting workers and families first, the amendment passed by the committee and championed by U.S. Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) and David Price (NC-04) aims to halt the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection rule that increases pork plant line speeds and puts American workers and consumers at risk.

The amendment would prevent the USDA from spending funds to implement the rule. Perrone’s statement reads as follows:

“America’s food safety and the safety of the workers who produce our food must never take a backseat to corporate profits. Today’s vote to defund this dangerous line speed rule makes clear that Congress is ready to honor that commitment and the USDA must do the same.

“Increasing line speeds needlessly threatens the quality and health of America’s food supply and cruelly endangers the lives of workers who help produce that food. The proposed USDA rule would dramatically weaken protections that Americans depend on to be able to select safe, healthy food to feed their families every day.

“Our members in pork plants nationwide understand from firsthand experience that the USDA’s proposed rule would hurt workers, consumers, and our economy. We urge the USDA to stop this rule and do its job to protect American workers and consumers.”