Food Workers Union Sued for Campaign

In 2007, Smithfield foods filed a federal lawsuit against the United Food and Commercial workers, claiming that the union orchestrated a public smear campaign to hurt Smithfield’s business as a method of extorting the company and alleging $5 million in damages. Part of the “smear campaign” was the encouragement of local government entities to censure Smithfield’s practices.

The suit was brought in Virginia, which has no anti-SLAPP law. The court allowed the suit to proceed, but it was settled in 2008.

See Smithfield Foods, Inc. v. United Food & Commercial Workers Int’l Union et al., No. 3:07cv641 (E.D. Va. May 30, 2008).