RALEIGH, N.C. – Smithfield Packing Co. and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) local at the company’s Tar Heel, N.C. plant have set Dec. 10 and 11 as the date for voting on union representation.

The UFCW has been working for the past decade to unionize the Tar Heel slaughterhouse, the world’s largest and employer of 5,000 workers.

The election was part of a settlement between Smithfield and the UFCW. The company had sued the union, claiming calls for boycotts, publicity and other actions amounted to extortion.

Source: Associated Press