Labor dispute comes to Smithfield's annual meeting

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Aug 29 (Reuters) - Smithfield Foods Inc (SFD.N) said on Wednesday it has been meeting union organizers regarding its huge pork plant in Tar Heel, North Carolina, but it insists any worker vote for union representation be done by secret ballot.

Several-hundred union activists gathered on Wednesday in Williamsburg, Virginia, where the U.S. meat company held its annual shareholders meeting.

Most activists marched outside, but a small group attended the meeting and urged the company to settle the issue.

"We are more than happy to have an election at the Tar Heel plant," said Larry Pope, Smithfield's chief executive officer.

He said he favored a vote sponsored by the National Labor Relations Board and was willing to have it overseen by an independent third party. But he wants secret ballots and would not agree to a United Food and Commercial Workers proposal for signed ballots.

The UFCW union has been trying for more than 10 years to represent the approximately 5,000 workers at the plant.

A UFCW representative said on Wednesday the union also wants a fair election, plus it wants to ensure the workers are not intimidated during the vote.

More than half of Smithfield's plants are unionized, with the UFCW representing the majority of those plants.

"If the company really wants a free and fair process, where people are free to cast their decision without any interference from the company, then let's talk about it," Gene Bruskin, a UFCW campaign director, said later on Wednesday.

There have been two previous votes at the plant, in 1994 and 1997. The company said workers at those elections rejected union representation, but the union said the votes were flawed.

((Reporting by Bob Burgdorfer, editing by Braden Reddall; Reuters messaging: bob.burgdorfer.reuters.com@reuters.net; 312-408-8723; bob.burgdorfer@reuters.com)) Keywords: SMITHFIELD LABOR/

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