POSTVILLE -- Months of frustration flowed from current and former Agriprocessors workers at a raucous public meeting Wednesday night.

About 175 people filled an auditorium at Postville High School for a gathering called by the kosher plant's trustee, Joseph Sarachek, to address workers' concerns.

They spent much of the two-hour meeting loudly berating Sarachek, who took the beating from behind a podium on stage.

"What are we supposed to tell our kids when we can't put food on the table? Doesn't anybody at that company care? Do you care? No. Because you're gettin' you're money," said Sarah Peck, who used to work in the plant's sales office.

"Look, I don't think what you're doing is productive," Sarachek responded.

"We want answers!" she countered. "We all want to be heard because nobody wants to listen to us!"

The budget for $2.5 million in emergency financing approved on Monday showed Sarachek earning $50,000 a week. The money will finance operations through Dec. 12.

The largest chunk of money will go to feed and process 750,000 hens and chickens. Sarachek said it will take 10 to 12 weeks to do so.

Many of those in attendance have been without work since Agriprocessors closed its doors more than three weeks ago. Most are owed several weeks' worth of pay.

The plant opened Wednesday with limited production. Only those re-hired are eligible to immediately receive back pay. Some got paychecks immediately, and will be paid again on Friday.

Workers demanded answers on when workers not re-hired by the plant will be paid, how management chose which workers to bring back, and what those without jobs are supposed to do.

The crowd grew more frustrated every time Sarachek told them he did not have many of the answers they wanted.

Sarachek said he will assist workers with filing a claim in bankruptcy court, their only legal recourse to recoup lost pay. He could not say when or how much money they would receive.

"I don't know. I don't have a definitive answer. I'm trying to sell this plant as quickly as possible. Shut, this plant has no value," he said.

Sarachek, however, said he would look into re-starting medical insurance for employees after several people complained they have been without coverage for weeks.

Lori Patrick said she cannot survive without heart medication, which costs $200 per month. But without her husband's health insurance, they pay for it with her minimum wage job at a motel.

Her husband, Paul Patrick, said they swallowed their pride and regularly visit a food bank to make ends meet.

"We had insurance until Nov. 1. Then all of sudden it was gone," he said.

At several points during the meeting, people intervened on Sarachek's behalf to reassure the crowd that he was doing what he could under very difficult circumstances.

In the end, a few apologized for yelling at Sarachek when, in fact, they blamed the Rubashkin family. The Rubashkins owned and operated the plant before Sarachek.

The crowd cheered when Sarachek said the Rubashkins were no longer in charge of the plant's day-to-day operations. Several people also criticized family members who still work at the plant for not showing up at the gathering.

At one point a person shouted, "Where the hell are the Rubashkins?"

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.