Union leans on Beef Northwest

http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=792&ArticleID=40970&TM=59588.64

4/18/2008 6:00:00 AM

UFW alleges poor working conditions, animal mishandling

Mitch Lies
Capital Press

Beef Northwest is being targeted by United Farm Workers in what appears to be a systematic approach by the union to obtain labor contracts with large Oregon farm operations.

UFW arranged for two Beef Northwest workers to fly to the headquarters of Whole Foods Market in Austin, Texas, this week and submit a petition asking Whole Foods to pressure the feeder to contract with the union for its labor.

Whole Foods sells Country Natural Beef in dozens of stores around the country. Country Natural Beef, also known as Oregon Country Beef, uses Beef Northwest, a feeder with operations in Nyssa and Boardman, Ore., and Quincy, Wash., to finish its steers.

UFW last year used a similar approach to obtain a labor contract with Oregon's largest dairy, Threemile Canyon Farms. The union in that case pressured Tillamook County Creamery Association - among other companies - to persuade Threemile Canyon, which supplies milk to the creamery, to enter into a labor contract under the union's terms.

In both cases, the union leveraged its negotiating position by alleging the agricultural operations exploited workers - allegations Threemile and Beef Northwest deny.

Threemile Canyon entered into a contract with UFW last July. It was the union's first Oregon contract.

FULL story at link.