Posted on 04/08/2006 11:02:04 AM PDT by HEMICRASHBOX
Creekstone Farms Premium Beef will close operations Monday to honor its predominately Hispanic workforce.
Monday is a day of national protests against a proposed immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives.
"We really agree with the perspective of the Hispanic community," said Rusty Wright, the company's director of human resources. "We don't like the proposed law, especially building the wall."
He referred to a proposal by the House of Representatives, HR 4437, that makes it a felony to be an illegal immigrant. It also makes it a crime to assist illegals, and such a measure could affect social workers and teachers.
Some Congressional leaders have proposed building a wall along the Mexican border with the United States.
On Thursday, Democratic and Republican leaders in the Senate indicated they would support a compromise immigration reform bill. It would allow most illegal immigrants to work toward permanent legal status.
Wright said about 75 percent of Creekstone's 750 employees are Hispanic, and the company decision to close down Monday is to encourage their participation in peaceful protest to HR 4437.
"There is a lot of mixed opinions on this controversial bill," Wright said. "I don't think we mind having our opinion."
Kevin Pentz, Creekstone's operations director, said Creekstone's largest asset is its employees. "When you have 75 percent of our employees who are Hispanic, you have to support that endeavor," he said of the protest.
All applicants for Creekstone jobs are screened through an INS screening system, Pentz said, referring to a computer system provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
"It's linked up with Homeland Security, we review their documents and photos," Wright added.
In other words, Homeland Security says any worker hired by Creekstone is eligible to work, he said. All employees are approved by the INS.
"Our industry is similar to construction, hotels and restaurants," Pentz said. "People think the Hispanics are taking away from jobs that could go to other people. But in reality, these are jobs people don't care to have. These are skilled labor jobs, hard work."
It's a big deal to close down the plant for a day, he added. The company must continue to pay ongoing utility and maintenance costs and reschedule trailer loads of live cattle due to arrive Monday.
"We'll have close to 30 trailer loads of live cattle to reschedule," he said. "We'll have to work a few extra hours next week and probably next Saturday to make up for lost production."
Creekstone processes 5,000 head of cattle a week, he said. The company plans to remain at full production next week.
I normally don't believe in boycotts, but in this case...
Well, isn't that altruistic.
"Kevin Pentz, Creekstone's operations director, said Creekstone's largest asset is its employees. "When you have 75 percent of our employees who are Hispanic, you have to support that endeavor," he said of the protest."
Barffff!!!
All applicants for Creekstone jobs are screened through an INS screening system, Pentz said, referring to a computer system provided by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Nice to know they put the welfare of the U.S. ahead of anything else. /s/
Sounds like Creekstone doesn't have enough diversity. Maybe they could use some picketing, boycotts, being forced to implement a quota program to hire blacks, whites and Asians, some sensitivity training, etc.
Lead the cattle to slaughter, so to say?
"Anyone not posessing documentation establishing legal residency will be provided really good fake documents."
Just like a friend of mine who has been driving the same vehicle for 30 years. He pays a guy he knows to put the machine on another car to get the smog paperwork.
Farmer brown must have a very large family running his family farm.
"What country is this again?"
You might well ask.
I used to live in Arizona but it seems I'm now in a place called Aztlan.
Do you know where I can change dollars for pesos?
I want to buy some of the native grown tobacco. I think I'm going to need lots and lots of it in the future.
(Listlessly waving little Aztlan flag.)
Is this company going to pay the illegal immigrants for the days work when this company closes down?
Is a protest day a fringe benefit?
Corporate suicide. You hear about stupid people running companies but this is unbelievable.
Agreed. Economic pressure is the only way business and government will respond. Posted this on another thread earlier:
The City & County of San Francisco is now a wholly owned leftist dictatorship - - dictators choose which laws will be obeyed/enforced.
There is an effective grassroots way to fight back - $$$ economic - anyone belonging to any organization, business, or simply planning a family vacation, must send a letter to the Chamber of Commerce of any city/county/state that orders law enforcement to ignore immigration enforcement laws stating your family/ group / business / organization will take its convention elsewhere.
Boycott cities/counties who do not enforce immigration laws and let their Chambers of Commerce, the hotels, tourism bureaus and dictators know the reason.
Tourism is still a huge money maker in SF and the hotel/tourism industry clamps down on mayors/city councils / supervisors when that industry is negatively effected. [The always on strike illegal hotel workers will also lose jobs if no one is staying at their hotels.]
Wright said about 75 percent of Creekstone's 750 employees are Hispanic, and the company decision to close down Monday is to encourage their participation in peaceful protest to HR 4437.
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