Smithfield Food's political donation denied

Thanks, but no thanks.

Even though it’s an election year, and donations are usually gobbled up eagerly, North Carolina’s Democratic Party said no last month to a contribution offered by Smithfield Foods.

In a letter to Smithfield lobbyist Theresa Kostrzewa , Jerry Meek , the chairman of the state Democrats, lashed out at the pork processor for its “flagrant disregard for worker rights, worker safety and the environment.”

“Law abiding corporations are at a competitive disadvantage,” Meek wrote, “when others fail to respect the law or to uphold basic human rights.”

Smithfield spokesman Dennis Pittman said Meek had fallen for “some misinformation from the United Food and Commercial Workers union,” which for years has tried to organize Smithfield’s Tar Heel, N.C., plant.

“What this is all about is the UFCW trying to force Smithfield to recognize them as the bargaining agent of employees without secret ballot or election,” he said. The union has sought a card-check process after the company had been found guilty of violations in previous secret ballots.

Pittman said he did not know how much the company had offered the Democratic Party.