[From nobody Wed Apr 7 18:25:59 2010 From: "WMass Jobs With Justice" <wmjwj@wmjwj.org> To: "'Valley Advocate'" <editor@valleyadvocate.com> Cc: <tvannah@valleyadvocate.com>, "Mo Turner" <mturner@valleyadvocate.com>, <Boggis@bigy.com>, <broderic@bigy.com> Subject: Local Boy Makes Bad Date: Thu, 6 Dec 2007 16:48:54 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0175_01C83AA7.983049B0" X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6822 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 Thread-Index: Acg4Ub5XupcU1I8NQG2MNRlPMn56EQ== Importance: Normal This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0175_01C83AA7.983049B0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Dear Editor, Thank you for covering the Big Y/Smithfield Foods connection and the = local Smithfield Justice Committee of Western Mass. Jobs with Justice. You note that Big Y has not returned your calls, just as it has not = returned ours. It has not replied to our letters, including one by Rep. Ben = Swan, and it kicked out 29 of us when we paid a visit October 4. But it has responded to some customers who have complained at https://www.bigy.com/contact/. Betti Boggis, Big Y Consumer Relations, = told one customer "We did extensive research into this, and the claims are = false. There are federal laws to protect employees, and this has been thrown = out of court twice." In another email, she put it this way: "[T]he Smithfield = case has been thrown out of court twice. There is no just cause here." To a third complaint, she wrote: "[W]e did investigate this, and found that = there is no merit to what is being reported. If the allegations were true, = OSHA would be involved." But OSHA and NC-OSHA (North Carolina Department of Labor Occupational = Safety and Health Administration) have been "involved" and so has the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the US Court of Appeals. Smithfield is = a serial violator of U.S. law. See "Smithfield and the Courts" at www.smithfieldjustice.com. Big Y's "extensive research" has led them to lie to customers, but they won't talk to a reporter, so I thought you should know. Jon Weissman Coordinator, Western Mass. Jobs with Justice PS - I am copying Betti so you'll have her e-address and so she might = wise up. The other e-address is Don's secretary. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition.=20 Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1165 - Release Date: = 12/2/2007 8:34 PM =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0175_01C83AA7.983049B0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="windows-1250" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dwindows-1250"> <META NAME=3D"Generator" CONTENT=3D"MS Exchange Server version = 6.0.4630.0"> <TITLE>Local Boy Makes Bad</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Dear Editor,</FONT> </P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Thank you for covering the Big Y/Smithfield Foods = connection and the local Smithfield Justice Committee of Western Mass. = Jobs with Justice.</FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>You note that Big Y has not returned your calls, just = as it has not returned ours.&nbsp; It has not replied to our letters, = including one by Rep. Ben Swan, and it kicked out 29 of us when we paid = a visit October 4.</FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>But it has responded to some customers who have = complained at <A = HREF=3D"https://www.bigy.com/contact/">https://www.bigy.com/contact/</A>.= &nbsp; Betti Boggis, Big Y Consumer Relations, told one customer = &quot;We did extensive research into this, and the claims are false. = There are federal laws to protect employees, and this has been thrown = out of court twice.&quot;&nbsp; In another email, she put it this way: = &quot;[T]he Smithfield case has been thrown out of court twice.&nbsp; = There is no just cause here.&quot;&nbsp; To a third complaint, she = wrote: &quot;[W]e did investigate this, and found that there is no merit = to what is being reported.&nbsp; If the allegations were true, OSHA = would be involved.&quot;</FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>But OSHA and NC-OSHA (North Carolina Department of = Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration) have been = &quot;involved&quot; and so has the National Labor Relations Board = (NLRB) and the US Court of Appeals.&nbsp; Smithfield is a serial = violator of U.S. law.&nbsp; See &quot;Smithfield and the Courts&quot; at = www.smithfieldjustice.com.</FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Big Y's &quot;extensive research&quot; has led them to = lie to customers, but they won't talk to a reporter, so I thought you = should know.</FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Jon Weissman</FONT> <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>Coordinator, Western Mass. Jobs with Justice</FONT> </P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2>PS - I am copying Betti so you'll have her e-address = and so she might wise up.&nbsp; The other e-address is Don's = secretary.</FONT> <BR> <BR><FONT SIZE=3D2>No virus found in this outgoing message.<BR> Checked by AVG Free Edition.<BR> Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.16.13/1165 - Release Date: = 12/2/2007 8:34 PM<BR> </FONT>&nbsp; </P> </BODY> </HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0175_01C83AA7.983049B0-- ]