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JBS Swift says employees repeatedly left work without authorization
By Jean Ortiz
Saturday, September 20, 2008
OMAHA, Neb. — Officials at a meatpacking plant in Grand Island fired at least 86 workers Friday after they walked off the job amid a dispute over prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the company said.
However, a Muslim leader and one of the fired workers disputed the plant's numbers, saying 150 people had lost their jobs at the JBS Swift & Co. facility, which employs about 2,500 people, not including management. About a fifth of them are Muslim.
JBS Swift spokeswoman Tamara Smid, who confirmed 86 firings late Friday, said the action was taken against employees who had repeatedly left work without authorization.
Grand Island is 120 miles west of Omaha.
Muslim workers — mostly of Somali background — have been asking for accommodations with break times to allow for prayer at sunset. The issue led to walkouts this week — not only from Muslims but also from non-Muslims, who said such accommodations are preferential treatment.
Mohamed Rage, who leads the Omaha Somali-American Community Organization, said 80 workers were thrown out after an altercation late Thursday. He said that when they tried to return for their shift Friday, they and 70 others were fired.
One of the Somali workers, Mohamed Farah, said some workers tried to take a break about sunset Thursday to pray. The break was arranged with managers, Farah said.
Some Latino workers began to protest when they saw the Muslims leaving, Farah said.
Police said they were called to the plant late Thursday after receiving reports of a riot or fight.
When officers arrived, the situation had calmed, Police Chief Steve Lamken said.
Dan Hoppes, president of Local 22 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, gave another account of Thursday night's events. He said that according to management and employees, 60 to 80 people quit late Thursday after raising the prayer issue. Hoppes said that the workers exited the facility after supervisors told them to either go back to work or leave.
JBS Swift said in a statement that the company is trying to resolve the issues. "JBS values its diverse workforce and has a long track record of making significant accommodations to employees," the statement said.
Source: AP, Sept 20, 2008