(WHAS11) A months-long battle in Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood could end Monday. The Metro Board of Zoning can shut down the Swift meat packing plant because of company violations, but Swift workers plan to organize to keep that from happening.
The legal battle between Swift and Butchertown has gotten so intense, it has gotten personal. It has also rallied Swift workers to a neighborhood demonstration Sunday afternoon.
While the Board of Zoning could decide to do nothing, they could also decide to shut down the plant, and that has the local union worried about Swift's 1300 jobs.
Butchertown resident Mary Burnley has had enough, "Oh, I just paid to have my car detailed and cleaned and you can see just by looking at it- there's just a thick layer of dust." Mary blames the dust, sour smells, and loud noise all on the Swift plant, a pig slaughterhouse among historic houses and otherwise quiet streets.
Mary is among those who believe Swift should find a new home because they keep breaking local rules. That has given the Louisville Board of Zoning the ability to shut down the plant come Monday morning.
"It looks like Swift's strategic business plan is to keep increasing their operations and their slaughtering capacity using this antiquated equipment here. They need to think about building a new, high-tech facility that can handle that kind of capacity in a location that's more suitable for it," Jon Salomon tells WHAS11.
Salomon represents the Butchertown Neighborhood Association in their legal battle against Swift, but that has pushed swift workers to attack him. They spread fliers saying Salomon wants to force 1300 jobs out of Louisville. Come Sunday afternoon, the Swift workers union Local 227 will rally against it all.
"Basically what we're hoping is for people to come out, be together, and show the city what's really at stake here," says Caitlin Lally with the Local 227.
Still, many in Butchertown say they want jobs-- just elsewhere. “You can't tell me the jobs can't be kept and just move the plant out of a residential neighborhood. Makes sense," says Mary.
Swift wants to expand operations somewhere in the US. Many hope it's in Louisville, creating more jobs, but Butchertown just hopes they build a new plant elsewhere in town to do it.
The Board of Zoning's meeting Monday morning at 8:30 will play a big factor in what happens.
