We cover a lot of important worker struggles on this show, but it’s important to cover worker victories as well—and workers in South Dakota just landed a huge victory. After suffering one of the worst COVID workplace outbreaks in the country last year, leading to four deaths and over 1,200 infections, workers at the Smithfield pork processing plant in Sioux Falls refused to back down on demands for better pay and to retain a 15-minute break during the second half of their shifts. When negotiations with Smithfield stalled, UFCW Local 304A members voted overwhelmingly (98%) to authorize a strike, and the company backed down. On this extended mini-cast, we welcome back president of the South Dakota Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Kooper Caraway, to discuss this important victory and what lessons the labor movement should take away from it.
Additional links/info below…
- Kooper’s Twitter page
- UFCW Local 304A Facebook page
- Sioux Falls AFL-CIO’s website and Twitter page
- Working People, “Labor is Antifascist (w/ Kooper Caraway)“
- Kim Kelly, The New Republic, “The Future of Labor Is Growing in South Dakota“
- Makenzie Huber, Sioux Falls Argus Leader, “How COVID-19 Tore Through Smithfield’s Meatpacking Plant in 17 Days“
- Chacour Koop, The Kansas City Star, “After COVID-19 Outbreak Kills 4, Smithfield Meat Plant in South Dakota Fined $13,494“
- Stephen Groves, Associated Press, “Union Vote Authorizes Strike at South Dakota Pork Plant“
- Associated Press, “South Dakota Pork Plant, Labor Union Reach 4-Year Agreement“
Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)
- Jules Taylor, “Working People Theme Song”
- Meydan, “Away”
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