Posted on 10/10/2006 12:01:59 PM PDT by Rakkasan1
Nine Somali immigrant employees at poultry processor Gold'n Plump Poultry Inc. alleged in a federal lawsuit that they were discriminated against because of their race and religion at the company's Cold Spring, Minn., plant. The group alleges the St. Cloud-based company would not permit them short breaks during the day to pray. The Muslim faith, the lawsuit says, requires five prayers a day at times defined by position of the sun. The lawsuit also claims that the company was more likely to force Somalis than whites to work the night shift and do the least desirable jobs in the factory. In a statement Monday, Peggy Brown, director of human resources, said Gold'n Plump respects the religious beliefs of all employees. Brown said Gold'n Plump has made accommodations since 2003 to its Muslim employees in an effort to provide them with opportunities to pray. She said the company announced further changes last week, before it became aware of the lawsuit, "that we believe provide yet more opportunity for observance of Muslim prayer."
(Excerpt) Read more at twincities.com ...
I worked at an institution with a woman who observed funky "holy days" and also expected to take off the days others had off.
When senior management told her she'd have to do make-up work for the additional time off, she did for a while, got mad, quit, and darned if she didn't leave the country.
One of my cousins said a fellow worker of his told his boss, "I believe in equal work for equal pay; I get paid once a week so I work once a week." He said they fired him.
Well, you know... one of the prayer times does last all night. You just can't please some people.
1. Adapt ot our country and customs.
2. Drop dead!
3. Go back to that Jewell-of-Africa, Somalia!
1. Adapt ot our country and customs.
2. Drop dead!
3. Go back to that Jewell-of-Africa, Somalia!
That's true, but if you're unable to do it, you can make up the prayers at another time. They should consider themselves unable to pray on the job and make it up another time, preferably at home. Certainly, a lot of us don't appreciate the whole thing choreographed in planes, hallways, etc.
If they are muslims, they are always mad.
Res judicata.
This entire question has already been tried. These plaintiffs are going to lose. I hope their counsel didn't take the case on contingency and the clients are paying legal fees up front. Anything that sucks money out of the moosie cash flow is a good thing, even if it goes to some bottom-feeder.
What I want to know is why the company is already bending over to accommodate them to such a great extent in the first place.
Don't shed too many tears for Golden-Plump......they are great at bringing in the Somalis and other assorted types to avoid paying competitive wages. They, coupled with Lutheran Social Services are largely responsible for the Sand-Maggot infestation in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
This is a perfect example of why we shouldn't let these people immigrate here and why we should pick and choose who we let in. These people's way of life and customs do not fit into the American mainstream. To let them sue in an attempt to force us to change our labor infrastructure, which does indeed include expected working conditions and manufacturing schedules, is plenty enough reason to keep them out.
Serves the company right for hiring these people in the first place. They're nothing but trouble in their own country, nothing but trouble here.
I know, which is partly why I later said these types of lawsuits are pure BS. If I was the owner the conversation would go something like this:
"You're upset that you're missing afternoon prayer?"
"Yes."
"But today the permissable afternoon prayer period lasts for four hours, and your 15 minute break is within that period."
"But I want to pray at the preferred time right at the beginning of the period."
"Stuff it, Ahkmed."
Having been to Cold Spring, MN in the winter, I'd suggest that the solution is to go ahead and give 'em a prayer area...outside.
My conversation would be more like this:
- Is it mandated that you pray on the job?
- The Koran says ....
- And if you miss the prayer?
- I must make it up.
- Consider all your prayers missed from the hours of 8-5. Also, please avail yourself of a facility called the lunch break to get in a couple of those prayers.
The prayers are ritualistic too. Sit, bow down, stand, sit, bow ....
The prayer period might last 4 hours, but the actual prayer is about 10 minutes. I say they get 1 missed one at lunch time and the other at dinner in their own homes, not the local Chipotle.
"If this offends them they are free to seek employment elsewhere. We don't follow Sharia law in the United States... yet."
Agreed, but it seems like the more PC we get with the ROP crowd, the closer we come in this generation or the next :-(
I have personally worked with the Somalian people at various factories in the St. Cloud area. I don’t care to work with these people because they abuse of American employees with their “religion”. They often leave a line when it’s at it’s busiest and the rest of us have to work much harder to keep the line going in order for them to go bend over in some corner. Often, they refuse to pray on their breaks because they strongly believe they deserve their breaks in addition to their prayer breaks. And to top it off, they’re not very good workers in the first place. Why they’re sought after so desperately from local companies, I’ll never know! Psss, give me a Mexican or White to work with any day of the week.
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