Still Time to Vote for Corporate Grinch of the Year

by Mike Hall, Dec 18, 2006

It’s a tough choice—like deciding between a poke in the eye with a sharp stick or a kick in the stomach by an angry mule. Both options are equally awful—just like the two finalists in this year’s Grinch of the Year contest.

Now in its sixth year, the Grinch contest crowns the grouchiest and greediest corporate player in North America who most harms working families. This year’s Jobs with Justice (JWJ) contest pits the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. against Joseph Luter III, meatpacking giant Smithfield’s former CEO and current chairman of the board.

You can vote by visiting JWJ’s Grinch of the Year contest by Dec. 20. Here’s a little background on the miserable pair.

In October, Goodyear forced 15,000 United Steelworkers members out on strike at 16 plants across North America. Despite concessions by USW members and retirees in 2003 to ensure that Goodyear remained in business, the company now is insisting on additional plant closings and even deeper concession in this round of bargaining.

Not only are Goodyear workers scrambling to get by without paychecks this holiday season, their health benefits expire Jan. 3. Click here to contribute to the USW Strike Fund.

Smithfield operates the largest pork slaughterhouse in the world. Located in southeastern North Carolina, Smithfield’s Tar Heel plant employs 5,500 workers and kills and dismembers more than 32,000 hogs each day.

According to JWJ:

Smithfield operates a dangerous workplace, forcing its workers who have not been adequately trained to work at exceedingly fast line speeds while making repetitive hand motions in processing the pork. Every day, workers are injured, harassed, intimidated and threatened by Smithfield management….In 1994 and 1997, workers tried to hold a union election but were met with the coercive fist of Smithfield.

Former CEO and current Chairman of the Board Joseph Luter III takes in $83,333.33 each month in a base salary just for consulting Smithfield. Under the terms of Luter’s contract, he is also entitled to use the company jet and receives cash incentive awards.

For more information, go to www.smithfieldjustice.org.

Whoever wins the dubious honor, unlike the real Grinch of Dr. Seuss fame, don’t expect Goodyear or Luter to have their hearts magically transformed from two sizes too small to three sizes larger.

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