Since February, meat packers from the Storm Lake plant and UFCW organizers have been meeting regularly to organize the collection of union cards from as many of the 1,500 workers as possible. The majority of the meat packers in this town of 10,000 in northwest Iowa are originally from Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. They slaughter hogs in two shifts at the plant.

One worker, who asked that his name not be used, described how a group of meat cutters on the kill floor decided to draw ribbons on their sleeves to show the company they are for the union and are tired of abuse. “When the boss tried to take one to the office, the other 10 stepped back from their jobs, stopping the line,” he said. “The boss let the guy go back to work.”

“The union has to get in. That’s what we’re fighting for,” said a night shift kill floor worker from Mexico, who also asked that his name not be used. “So many people are getting hurt, the speed of the line is too fast, and we are tired of the company not respecting us and our rights. We want the company to know that we have rights, and they will respect them.”
 
 
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