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Rabbis briefly walk off job at Agriprocessors
By JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD, Courier Staff Writer
POSTVILLE — About 50 rabbis charged with supervising the kosher slaughter and processing of meat at Agriprocessors walked off the job Wednesday morning.
The rabbis reportedly took the action because of a decrease in pay since a May 12 immigration raid caused the meat processing plant to drastically reduce production.
“The rabbis were complaining that they didn’t have as much time for overtime and additional shifts,” said Menachem Lubinsky, a spokesman for Agriprocessors.
Rabbis play a crucial role at kosher meat plants like Agriprocessors because production cannot continue without their supervision.
Lubinsky downplayed the incident, saying the walk-off lasted only 30 minutes after management “resolved the issue.” He declined to provide further details.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a New York-based Jewish news service, reported the walk-off lasted 45 minutes.
Lubinsky acknowledged the issue of decreased pay, as well as increased time between work preformed and payment, has been brewing with rabbinical staff since the raid.
But Lubinsky said he could not comment on the financial situation of Agriprocessors because he does not have access to those records. Former Agriprocessors CEO Sholom Rubashkin, who remains involved in the company, did not return a phone call requesting comment.
In an effort to fully staff the plant after 389 of its employees were arrested in the raid, Agriprocessors has hired labor agencies to bring in workers from around the country. However, turnover remains high as workers have complained about the working and housing conditions.
Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.
The rabbis reportedly took the action because of a decrease in pay since a May 12 immigration raid caused the meat processing plant to drastically reduce production.
“The rabbis were complaining that they didn’t have as much time for overtime and additional shifts,” said Menachem Lubinsky, a spokesman for Agriprocessors.
Rabbis play a crucial role at kosher meat plants like Agriprocessors because production cannot continue without their supervision.
Lubinsky downplayed the incident, saying the walk-off lasted only 30 minutes after management “resolved the issue.” He declined to provide further details.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency, a New York-based Jewish news service, reported the walk-off lasted 45 minutes.
Lubinsky acknowledged the issue of decreased pay, as well as increased time between work preformed and payment, has been brewing with rabbinical staff since the raid.
But Lubinsky said he could not comment on the financial situation of Agriprocessors because he does not have access to those records. Former Agriprocessors CEO Sholom Rubashkin, who remains involved in the company, did not return a phone call requesting comment.
In an effort to fully staff the plant after 389 of its employees were arrested in the raid, Agriprocessors has hired labor agencies to bring in workers from around the country. However, turnover remains high as workers have complained about the working and housing conditions.
Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.
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class of 93 wrote on Aug 21, 2008 9:24 AM:
" I will bet you the Rabbi's got their money back. The plant CAN NOT function with out them. You know what....it cant function either without workers. I would love to see the workers do the same thing. Walk off make a statement that you WILL NOT be underpaid. I hope the plea deal with the lowly supervisors was in exchange for damning testimony that will run the Rubashkin straigh to the big house. "
ozymandias wrote on Aug 21, 2008 10:04 AM:
" class of 93
Wasn't the plant paying minimum wage, or higher? With all the stories and scandals going on I may have missed that they were not, but I thought that they at least did that much right. "
Wasn't the plant paying minimum wage, or higher? With all the stories and scandals going on I may have missed that they were not, but I thought that they at least did that much right. "
class of 93 wrote on Aug 21, 2008 10:27 AM:
" Ozy.
As far as what was reported they were paying minimun wage. I will bet you a barrel of Kosher pork bellies that the Rabbi's make a alot more than minimum wage for doing a few ceremonies a day...the workers deserve more than the Rabbi's they are the ones with the blood on their hands. Oh maybe that was why they had 300 plus illegals working for them so they didnt have to pay them as well. "
As far as what was reported they were paying minimun wage. I will bet you a barrel of Kosher pork bellies that the Rabbi's make a alot more than minimum wage for doing a few ceremonies a day...the workers deserve more than the Rabbi's they are the ones with the blood on their hands. Oh maybe that was why they had 300 plus illegals working for them so they didnt have to pay them as well. "
a6g wrote on Aug 21, 2008 10:58 AM:
" Weren't the illegal workers paid minimum wage (or thereabouts) but CHARGED for mandatory safety equipment by Agriprocessors, netting them significantly less?? And minimum wage or no minimum wage, they had kids working there illegally as well. Oh, and those "different colored checks"... Did I read correctly that the supervisor that plead guilty will be DEPORTED after his prison term? How in the world can a company have supervisors that aren't even in the country legally in the first place? Especially without knowing...something stinks in Postville, and it isn't the pig carcasses... "
reykr wrote on Aug 21, 2008 5:03 PM:
" What's this, about "Kosher pork bellies" and "pig carcasses"? Pork isn't Kosher. "
50674 wrote on Aug 21, 2008 6:19 PM:
" a6g the supervisors had legal status here but when a legal alien (and that is different from a naturalized person who has become a citizen) commits a crime their legal residency status is revoked and they are deported. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions! "
a6g wrote on Aug 21, 2008 6:29 PM:
" reykr, it was a play on words. "Something stinks in Postville...and it ISN'T pig carcasses..." That being said, something does definitely stink up there. "
a6g wrote on Aug 21, 2008 9:05 PM:
" 50674, the fact that these meatpackers are hiring "legal aliens" from 3rd world countries, that probably have little to no resume should raise concern. Isn't it ironic that these "legal aliens" are the ones who were obtaining and providing the means to obtain false ID's so that Agriprocessors could hire people from said 3rd world countries?? "
momwhocares wrote on Aug 22, 2008 3:01 AM:
" As I have said many times before, AGRI is going down the drain. I do not have any compassion for a company with their work ethics and bad morals. If more employees would walk off the job and shut production down, then and only then would that take care of their business. UNITE EMPLOYEES!!! Send them a sign, and if you have to send that sign in any language. I agree something stinks in Postville and sadly the officials in that town allowed it to go on. The law enforcement and city officials knew they had illegals in that town. Why didn't any of the people who are strongly speaking up now(after the raid) help any of the illegals become citizens? Because a lot of them profited from the illegals, the church received offerings, the landlords received rent money and the businesses had sales. Employees have power in that company, you have the power to demand better for you and your coworkers. Lets face it they can't hire enough now....imagine if you all would take a stand, and in the wake of their financial status right now, it would bring them to their knees. UNITE!!!!! "
ozymandias wrote on Aug 22, 2008 7:32 AM:
" a6g,
That may be the issue. I was seeing articles where these employees, (legal and otherwise) were bragging about the $10 wage -- which is in excess of the federal minimum, but if they are paying out for equipment, that would obviously reduce the take home.
Like I said, I was not following this as closely as some. "
That may be the issue. I was seeing articles where these employees, (legal and otherwise) were bragging about the $10 wage -- which is in excess of the federal minimum, but if they are paying out for equipment, that would obviously reduce the take home.
Like I said, I was not following this as closely as some. "
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oboy wrote on Aug 20, 2008 10:03 PM: