Quote:

About 190 workers, most of them immigrants from Somalia, have been fired from a meat packing and distribution plant on Colorado's Eastern Plains for walking off the job to protest a workplace prayer dispute.

Ten days ago more than 200 workers walked off their jobs at Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan.

Some workers later returned, but the majority stayed away as representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) negotiated on their behalf.

On Tuesday Cargill, through its attorneys, fired the workers who were holding out, said Jaylani Hussein, a spokesman and executive director of CAIR.

Cargill is a Kansas-based company.

Some of the fired employees have been working at the plant for up to 10 years, Hussein said. Cargill had previously allowed Muslim employees to pray at the plant, even providing a prayer room, he said.

Depending on the season, the Muslim workers prayed at different times of the day, typically in about five-to-10 minute blocks, Hussein said. But recently a decision was made at the plant to change the practice.

"The workers were told: 'If you want to pray, go home,' " Hussein said.

Many of the workers, some who support family with their earnings, banded together and decided to walk off the job in an attempt to sway plant managers to reinstate a prayer schedule.

Hussein and Jenifer Wicks, also of CAIR, were negotiating with Cargill. On Tuesday, they were told of the mass firing.

Hussein said company officials told him the mass dismissal was over a "no call, no show, walk out."

"It's disappointing," Hussein said.

The workers have previously been using time carved out of a 15-minute break period, or time from their unpaid 30-minute lunch break.

Cargill has a policy stating that any workers who are terminated can not reapply for a position for 6 months.

CAIR continues to talk with Cargill, a teleconference is scheduled next week, and Hussein hopes that the 6-month freeze is waived and that the workers will be allowed back.

The workers continue to express their desire to be allowed a prayer break, Hussein said.

"They feel missing their prayer is worse than losing their job," Hussein said. "It's like losing a blessing from God."

Cargill could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. Last week, Mike Martin, director of communications for Cargill, told the Greeley Tribune that employees of all faiths are allowed to use a reflection area, but that because employees work on an assembly line only one or two at a time can use the area, to avoid slowing production.

He told the Tribune company policies had not changed.

The workers earn $14-per-hour and up, and are represented by a union, Teamsters Local 445. About 2,000 people are employed at the plant.

"These are people who want to work," Wicks said. "If they're allowed to return to work, we will continue to negotiate."

---

akira_akuma said:

people don't necessarily WANT what you're implying they want, to be perfectly and honestly CLEAR with your ass, Qman.

what kind of fuckin'... nobody WANTS THEM...people feel obligated to take them in, implored because they are refugees. YOU WANT nothing but a PURGE, so even LESS people, in your country; because then you'll go and what? pick fruit? don't ask for more money, they won't give it to you, nor anyone else...then you can all have a giant shortage of fruit...and that will be only effect; literally, whoa, less fruit, and STILL no good jobs. what EVER will YOU DO?

---

Have you gone to the economic school of Koods?  If the US wasn't flooded with 30 million illegals we would all starve because fruit might cost a little more, so scary.

Do worry about it, Trump is coming to the rescue. 

hey, the fruit is a lovely little ante that's partially insignificant; what it represents however is fascinating...because the fact is Trump won't help you in the job market. wait 'til you get Trumped. it'll be more egg on your face.

Patlal said:

Personally I wouldn't allow that shit in my workplace. We aren't an Islamic nation so we have 0 reason to tolerate it. It's inappropriate IMO.

---

Quote:

they walked out for 3 days in protest and they all got fired for it.

---

Patlal said:

No, it's just, don't impose your religion on other people. That includes your boss.

---

Patlal said:

We aren't an Islamic nation so we have 0 reason to tolerate it. It's inappropriate IMO.

---

Quote:

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.

---

shivas.wisdom said:

Patlal said:

No, it's just, don't impose your religion on other people. That includes your boss.

---

why do you feel that individual prayer is an imposition of one's religion on another?

the time was coming out of their breaktime, and the prayer times would change depending on the season (i assume to avoid schedule conflicts)

why should a worker not be allowed to choose how they spend their break time (assuming they don't use this time for illegal activity)?

personally, i don't know why the workers just didn't keep praying on their breaks if the original time had been carved out of their 15 and 30 minutes, unless it was specifically muslim prayer that was banned--if the latter is the case, than i would definitely say the boss is in the wrong

but with the condition of workers rights in a lot of states, i doubt the boss is legally in the wrong, only ethically

---

shivas.wisdom said:

Patlal said:

We aren't an Islamic nation so we have 0 reason to tolerate it. It's inappropriate IMO.

---

well actually...


section two of the canadian charter of rights and freedoms:

Quote:

2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms:
(a) freedom of conscience and religion;
(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication;
(c) freedom of peaceful assembly; and
(d) freedom of association.

---

---

Webster10 said:

Inefficient employees should absolutely be fired. Islam is just the cherry on top

---