Union pork

A while back I announced in this blog that I was going to boycott ‘corporate pork,’ a move driven mostly by the reaction to the tactics used by Smithfield Foods and its working conditions at the plant in Tar Heel.
Now, I’m not a huge pork eater, but even at a rate around of five pounds a month for me and the missus, plus what I might buy and serve guests, that’s a few thousands of dollars that Big Pork didn’t get from me. Mostly, I cut down, which is probably a good thing and should make my doctor happy.
I also directed my spending toward the local growers and have been very happy with the result.
Then Smithfield and the union settled on terms for a new election and, well, guess what happens when a place with really crappy work rules and conditions holds a fair and free union election?
Now that the Tar Heel plant is unionized, I’m reconsidering where to direct my purchasing power.
I doubt that I’ll stop buying mainly pastured pork — I like it and I like the idea of it. And I want to keep on supporting the local farmers.
That’s one of the consequences for the big corporations to consider. The official boycott may be over, but new consumer patterns have been shaped and I’m still not happy with the environmental aspects of the biz or the way it throws its weight around in the halls of the legislature. I still have a hard time buying Mt. Olive pickles even though that boycott ended years ago. Then there’s the immigration issues, which are not resolved and won’t be soon.
I will, however, consider buying a shoulder for barbecue or maybe a loin for the holidays. First, though, I’ll look for the union label. That’ll make the meal much easier to swallow.