There is a LOT more going on here than just an Immigration raid and bankruptcy.
Agriprocessors Inc. ran an illegal enterprise that violated Federal and State laws on child labor in hazardous occupations, tax laws, failing to pay overtime wages, failing to report severe workplace injuries and on employing undocumented aliens. There were questions about exactly how “Kosher” thier product was, too.
PETA vowed to shut this company down, as a show of strength to other kosher slaughterhouses. Plus, kosher meats from South America are coming in at 10% of US labor costs!
I’m glad someone else mentioned the treatment of animals here. Last time I did that, I got all kinds of grief.
For those who are interested, see: If This is Kosher, short version at: http://www.goveg.com/jsfkosher.asp.
You’re correct, this isn’t new and I don’t care who’s doing the investigations, the place needed to be closed down.
In the 60’s the UPWA managed to break the meat packing business. I lived in Sioux City, Iowa and one by one the packing houses closed up and moved into the interior of Iowa where they could get lower priced labor. Cherokee, IA and a number of other smaller towns now are home to good, high paying companies.
In ‘61, the average packing house worker made 2-3 times that of a high school teacher.
BTW, Sioux City had a population of ~80,000 in 1962. It is now about ~85,000. Not a growth area. Reason- They doggedly refuse any innovation or new industry. When a developer came in and wanted to put in a shopping center, they had to take the city to FEDERAL COURT to get the necessary approvals.