GA06063

Social justice committee recommends Smithfield Packing resolution

Company's labor practices questioned

by Corey Schlosser-Hall

BIRMINGHAM, June 18 — The Social Justice committee on Saturday recommended to the Assembly the Smithfield Packing Company resolution from New Hope Presbytery. The slim vote margin was 35-27, with one abstention.

The resolution calls on Smithfield to discontinue using "threats, intimidation and violence against workers" and urges compliance with National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) orders to modify their employment practices.

The overture asks the PC(USA) to "communicate this call for justice" to North Carolina legal and legislative officials, major food chains who sell Smithfield products and Joseph Luter, CEO of Smithfield. (For more background, see Item 09-02 or the June 16 story)

Rachel Roberts from Northern New York Presbytery said she went home after the first night of hearings thinking the original motion was "overly punitive." After additional research, however, she concluded that "the original motion wasn't strong enough."

So Roberts presented a substitute motion that would have strengthened the actions, spelled out potential consequences and given more responsibility to the New Hope Presbytery for engaging the company. The substitute motion failed.

The Rev. Tim Halverson of Peace River Presbytery argued that there was compelling evidence that Smithfield is improving its human-resource practices and making other positive changes, so it did not make sense to approve the overture.

"I don't see the upside to approving this," Halverson argued. "We've heard from a company official about positive changes Smithfield has been making. They seem to have had a change of heart and will go along with these recommendations. The downside is that we anger a great many Presbyterians that think we have overstepped ourselves." 

Some commissioners expressed disappointment that New Hope Presbytery had not inspected Smithfield facilities or conversed with management before sending the overture. The Rev. Bill Reisenweaver of Miami Presbytery spoke against the final action from a theological perspective. Citing Matthew 18, he said, "Go to him and show them where they are wrong and give them a chance to make it right. We ought not overlook Jesus' instruction to us."

Rachel Conroy from New York Presbytery said the resolution was a good step to ensure that the company continues improving its labor practices. "If the claims end up being false, that will be lifted up as well," Conroy said. "It's the church's role to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves."

In the end, the committee chose to recommend it with a comment to "request New Hope Presbytery work with the Presbytery of Coastal Carolina to inspect the Smithfield Packing facility, speak with management, monitor elections, and report to the 218th GA (2008)."

Dennis Pitman, the director of human resources and corporate communications for Smithfield Packing Co., seemed pleased with the level of discussion on the matter. "We were welcomed. We've been heard," Pitman said. "It was a very close vote. There is obviously a lot of opinion both ways, and people seem to have a sense of what's going on."

Edward Morrison, a former Smithfield employee who testified during the open hearings, said, "This is one step in how things are going to change. But they aren't going to change overnight."