I am belatedly posting this piece, written for Alternet, about a union victory at a large poultry plant in Russellville, Alabama. It’s the same plant I worked at for my book Working in the Shadows, and there had been several previous organizing attempts, which all ended in pretty resounding defeats. So this was a great news story, and proof that even in a tough climate, organizing progress is possible.
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Forced to Work on a Broken Ankle? Workers Defy Abusive Supervisors for Big Union Win
Alternet, July 31, 2012
In December of 2004, while working at a massive poultry plant in Alabama, Delores Smith slipped on the greasy floor and collapsed into a heap. In considerable pain, she limped over to the nurse’s office. The company nurse, however, didn’t even bother to look at the injury, instead sending Smith home with ibuprofen. When she got to her car, Smith looked down and noticed that pieces of bone were poking out through her sock. She had broken her ankle in three places.
Gabriel Thompson 