020318 Strike at 2 Smithfield Plants May Be DelayedMarch 7, 2002Chicago - Meat cutters at two Smithfield Foods Inc. pork plants in Virginia may delay a strike set for early Wednesday if the company agrees to resume labor contract talks, a union official said Tuesday. The affected facilities are the Gwaltney of Smithfield fresh pork plant in Smithfield. Virginia, and a processed meats plant in Portsmouth, Virginia. Workers voted on Monday to strike starting Wednesday after rejecting the company's latest five-year contract offer that included a $1,100 bonus and hourly raises totaling 55 cents, said David Vinson, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 822. “If the company agrees to come back to the table next Thursday (March 14), we will keep working until next at least Thursday,” Vinson said. On Tuesday, officials at the Teamsters national office encouraged the local bargaining unit to try to restart the talks, Vinson said. By midday Tuesday, Smithfield Foods had not yet responded to the union's offer for new talks, Vinson said. A strike could still occur if there is no agreement for new talks, he said. Smithfield Foods had no immediate comment but said it might issue a statement about the talks later in the day. The two plants employ about 1,700 workers, of whom 1,100 are union members, Vinson said. The meat cutters have been working under terms of the previous contract, which expired Feb. 5. Gwaltney of Smithfield produces fresh pork, and industry sources estimate it has a daily hog slaughter capacity of 8,800 head. The Portsmouth plant produces processed meats, such as hot dogs and lunch meat, the union said.
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