Posted on 11/24/2008 8:29:31 AM PST by george76
For months, CBS News has been following the deepening troubles of tiny Postville, Iowa, population 2,200. Now the shutdown of the town's main employer following a federal immigration raid has Postville at the point of desperation...
Postville, Iowa was just decorated with holiday cheer. But looks can be deceiving.
"In the last few weeks - it's really gone downhill dramatically," says Mayor Bob Penrod.
With empty streets - and shuttered shops - this small town is facing economic calamity.
Penrod is taking steps this weekend to declare a state of emergency here - but not a natural disaster - rather one that's man-made.
"If we don't get some help from the state or federal government, we're going to be in deep trouble financially,"
Earlier this month - Jeff and Holly's employer, Agriprocessors, a kosher meat processing plant here suspended operations, and filed for bankruptcy protection. Once the town's largest employer - this was just the latest in a string of setbacks for the company - and for Postville.
It all started on May 12, 2008, when hundreds of federal immigration authorities raided Agriprocessors and arrested 389 workers.
Many like Irma Rucal were undocumented immigrants. Six months later she still wears a tracking anklet and waits for a court date.
"There are a lot of people in the U.S. who, frankly, wouldn't have a lot of sympathy for you," Doane reminded Rucal. "They would say you shouldn't haven't been here you were working illegally and you shouldn't be able to work here."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
The town doesn''t have 389 unemployed "legal" people who needed jobs and therefore the company can still operate?
So what is it the immigrants were doing that others can't do?
ht comments
The republic has fallen....................
(Of course, look for the crackdowns to end after 1/20/09).
NO PROBLEM - - - BAIL OUT MONEY ON THE WAY!!!! $25 billion check in the mail.
If you play with fire ... you will get burned. And creating a situation where the town is dependent on a single firm to maintain the economic viability of the town ... and allow that firm to go on hiring illegal aliens, is most defiantly playing with fire.
I assume a union set the federales on a plant that refused to knuckle under. Anyone know otherwise?
Can’t they just post an add on the Michigan craigslist or in the detroitfreepress. Of course, they would be inundated if they did that.
Show up for their shifts.
Maybe if they hired Americans then they might not be in this mess. One slaughterhouse was raided 9 months ago. They ran ads for jobs and thousands of Americans showed up looking for work. I guess paying a $1 an hour more is not worth it.
Actions have consequences.
Help Wanted signs attract attention
Kosher processed beef sells for premium prices. Therefore the company SHOULD be able to pay fair wages to people willing to move there (nice town and rural setting).
They can likely avail themselves of low priced housing due to the rapid disappearance of former owners/tenants.
I think the packing plant owners are trying to issue a PAYBACK for the affront of making them follow the law.
Probably not. Out of 2200 people in the town, 389 was probably most of their labor force.
Out of that 2200, let's say that 20% are children and 20% are elderly. Now you're down to 880 people. Out of that, let's say 10% choose not to work or cannot (stay at home moms, those on disability, the mentally handicapped, etc), and now you're down to 800. Now take 25% of the remainder that are either self-employed (the local baker, the plumbing and electrical contractor, the mechanic) or are in service industries supporting the plant (the delivery drivers, the restaurant owners, the teachers at the local schools), and you're down to just 580 employees, of whom at least 450 or so work at the plant. Then you take those 389 illegals away, and you're down to all supervisors and admin types, with no one left to support.
So, the plant closes down and the town dies.
I freely admit that I'm making up these percentages, but I think they're reasonable.
Not too unusual in rural areas. Many small communities are dependent on a few businesses in their local area. That's especially true when those communities are far from urban areas. Small businesses like groceries, gas stations, diners, and taverns don't have what it takes for a community to remain stable. And one would have to look at Postville's demographics to determine whether legal residents could fill the void.
It all started on May 12, 2008, when hundreds of federal FDA inspectors raided Agriprocessors and shut down the plant for using 20% sawdust instead of beef to save money.
Quien vive por el mojado se morirá por el mojado.
LOL! I can tell that you've never lived in a small town with a single major employer.
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