DELL fires 30 Muslims over workplace prayer

Newswire ^ | 3.10.05

[ambrose]

DELL fires 30 Muslims over workplace prayer

Muslim civil rights group calls for rehiring, offers mediation

by OfficialWire NewsDesk

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- (OfficialWire) -- 03/10/05 -- A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today called on Dell Computers to rehire 30 Muslims workers allegedly fired from a plant in Tennessee for seeking to perform religiously-mandated prayers in the workplace. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) also offered to help the company and its employees reach a mutually-agreeable solution to the dispute.

CAIR said the workers were fired from a Dell facility in Nashville, Tenn., after they sought to perform the Islamic "Maghrib" prayer each day after sunset. (While the window of opportunity to perform the other four daily Islamic prayers, the sunset prayer is tied to a particular time of day and therefore requires greater flexibility and creativity on the part of employers and workers. Muslims pray each day after the break of dawn, at midday, in the afternoon, at sunset, and in the evening.)

"Given sufficient goodwill on the part of all those involved, both the employees' legal right to reasonable religious accommodation and the employer's right to maintain smooth operations in the workplace can be maintained," said CAIR Legal Director Arsalan Iftikhar.

In a letter sent today to Dell President and CEO Kevin B. Rollins, Iftikhar asked that the Muslim workers be rehired pending resolution of the issues involved. He said CAIR staffers who have experience dealing with workplace religious accommodation are available to act as mediators between the Muslim workers and Dell.

CAIR publishes a booklet, called "An Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices," designed to prevent just such incidents. The booklet is available by emailing pubs@cair-net.org. (Include name, address and phone number when requesting the booklet.) Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires an employer to accommodate religious practices unless it causes an "undue hardship."

The Washington-based group has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Posted 3/10/2005 2:48 PM

[Rodney King]

Good.

[ambrose]

Lamestream media version of this story:

http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/05/03/66733769.shtml?Element_ID=66733769
(blocked site)

[mlbford2]

ACLU in 5.....4.....3.....2....

[the invisib1e hand]

wonder what Michael Savage would have to say about this...

[Charles Martel]

"Dude, you're getting a fatwa!"

[Mamzelle]

Why did a Nashville business hire 30 Muslims?

Is there a big Muslim pop in Nashville?

[highlander_UW]

As a Christian I've been turned down the space for Christians to gather in prayer during lunch time. They're asking for extra time and find it oppressive...get in line.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Glad I just bought a new Dell.

[paul51]

Muslims pray each day after the break of dawn, at midday, in the afternoon, at sunset, and in the evening

With all that praying, when do they find time to make the bombs and blow up innocent people or chop off heads? What a load of crap. Good for dell. I think I'll buy one of their units this week just to support them

[zarf]

Dell doesn't stand a chance. These guys will be rehired and retire young with lots of cash from a law suit.

[Hildy]

What ever happened to that story about the Call to Prayer over the loudspeakers in that town in Michigan???? Anyone know???

[traumer]

WOOO-HOOO !!
Isn't Michael..... jewish ?

And where can I apply for a job now ??

[Veto!]

I'm going to buy something from Dell right now.

I spent some time in Turkey and sort of enjoyed the Muslim prayers broadcast from mosques from dawn until dusk. But few if any Turks paid attention to them, they just went about their business. Funny how Muslims suddenly get religion when they come to the USA. Could it have something to do with politics?

[newgeezer]

If my job obligations interfered with my religious obligations, I'd have to give serious consideration to finding a different job.

I guess that's not how the CAIR crowd operates.

[Noachian]

Muslims pray each day after the break of dawn, at midday, in the afternoon, at sunset, and in the evening.

No wonder these people are so far behind the West. When do they find time to work? What do they do when there's a deadline to meet around prayer time?

[TomGuy]

The Washington-based group [CAIR] has 31 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Hmmmmm. The article went overboard in pointing out CAIR's mission and locations, but failed to mention that CAIR is a front organization for possible terrorist actiivities and has close associations with HAMAS and similar groups.

Probably just an oversite. Yeh, right!

[Flyer]

Dell ping!

[anonymous_user]

"An Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,"

A terror preparedness handbook?

[paul51]

"An Employer's Guide to Islamic Religious Practices,"

Here's my guide. "Don't hire em"