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Postville, IA - Detaineed Employess Of Rubashkin File Lawsuit Claim Abuse By Managemant |
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The federal lawsuit on behalf of three arrested workers includes accounts of verbal abuse by plant supervisors and one anecdote about a floor manager who threw meat at his employees.
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Federal agents raided the plant on Monday and arrested 389 workers suspected to be illegal immigrants. The workers were detained at the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo, identified and taken to initial court appearances in the largest single-site immigration crackdown in U.S. history.
The lawsuit by Antonin Trinidad Candido, Roman Trinidad Candido and Maria del Refugio Masias alleges that the federal government violated each detainee's due-process rights.
The lawsuit was filed by Amy L. Peck, an Omaha-based attorney, who requested that a federal district judge allow the case to expand into a class-action lawsuit that would include all the workers. A judge has yet to approve the class-action status.
The lawsuit cites stories heard by Sonia Parras Konrad, a Des Moines immigration lawyer who interviewed more than 50 detainees in Waterloo.
According to the lawsuit:
-- Workers told Konrad that Agriprocessors Inc. procured bogus identification and employment papers for them.
-- The kosher meatpacking plant withheld $50 per paycheck from employees for what it called “immigration fees.”
-- Plant supervisors subjected the immigrant workers to abuse that included derogatory names and physical abuse.
A federal affidavit signed on May 9 and made public the day of the raid states that federal authorities launched their raid in part because of allegations that Agriprocessors Inc. was exploiting its employees.
Eighteen of the workers were minors, ranging in age from 13 to 17. Federal agents have since turned the youths over to adult guardians or the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which cares for displaced refugee
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Read Comments (19) — Post Yours »
1
May 16, 2008 at 10:30 AM Anonymous Says:
this is the typical action of the goverment
these illegal immigrants now figure that if they make up lies and tell the goverment about abuse and anything the goverment wants to hear they will get "legal" and be able to stay here in america.
i know this for a fact. the "ice" raided my place in new york years ago. and all they asked the workers were "did you boss know" all they wanted was to go after the "boss" BH none lied so the goverment had nothing but hundreds of thousands of dollars in "penalities" for not filling out all the required forms "properly" if i didnt check a certain box on a form i got a $600.00 penalty for that
so all the goverment wants is publicity and money
hashem should bench the rubashkin family for what they did to the kosher meat market
2
May 16, 2008 at 10:40 AM Anonymous Says:
hashem should bench the rubashkin family for what they did to the kosher meat market
05-16-2008 - 10:30 AM
What they did to the Kosher Market? They made Kosher Shechita the laughing stock among the goyim!! They look at the 'frum' Jews from Brooklyn, now in Iowa and curse them!! Such a chillul Hashem!! Such a Bizayon. It makes the ehrlich Jews look bad.
There was a Psak Halacha by the Agudas Horabonim that assered a Jew from owning a slaughterhouse and a Kosher provision house. That psak is still in efect today, Now you know of the consequences.
3
May 16, 2008 at 10:54 AM lavdafka Says:
Let’s look at it this way: the better he had treated his workers the better the chance they will be for him in good standing … the worse he had treated them … now they will be a thorn in his throat.
4
May 16, 2008 at 10:58 AM Anonymous Says:
anon 10:40 said: There was a Psak Halacha by the Agudas Horabonim that assered a Jew from owning a slaughterhouse and a Kosher provision house. That psak is still in efect today, Now you know of the consequences. Where did you see this psak? and that means that only a goy may own a slaughterhouse? and that should still be trusted as kosher? stop the non sense.
5
May 16, 2008 at 11:24 AM lamdin1 Says:
open your wallets wide chevra because you know hat is about to happen with kosher meat prices
6
May 16, 2008 at 11:52 AM Anonymous Says:
Oh come on gimme a break here. Old story of the guy stopped for running a stop sign and the cop sees he has a revoked license, no registration and no insurance and the guy screams anti semite at the cop. And saying atht all meatpackers do this, which is a fact, doesn't mean that a frum company can do this and when caught scream that the government is looking to close them down.
7
May 16, 2008 at 12:47 PM Anonymous Says:
It may not be anti semitic, but it certainly is middas sedom! To setup an economic reality through leftist legislation, where business can not operate without breaking the law and then selectively enforcing the imigration laws against certain employers with crippling penalties and the employees get away with a slap on the wrist
8
May 16, 2008 at 12:54 PM Anonymous Says:
This is Sedom! Government sets up an economic reality through leftist legislation, where business can not operate without breaking the law and then selectively enforcing the imigration laws against certain employers with crippling penalties and the employees get away with a slap on the wrist.
In order to provide the consumer with a reasonable product at a reasonable,LEGAL price.
The $3.99 breakfast special would have to cost $14.99
9
May 16, 2008 at 01:10 PM don't forget a brocho achroino Says:
we all all SCREWED. read SCREWED. Either we stop eating meat or we start looking for alternative energy sources. Siz veit fuun a joke siz zair serious. Babay baby -- remember the days when we ate meat......
10
May 16, 2008 at 01:50 PM Anonymous Says:
anon 10:40 said: There was a Psak Halacha by the Agudas Horabonim that ossered a Jew from owning a slaughterhouse and a Kosher provision house. That psak is still in effect today, Now you know of the consequences. Where did you see this psak? and that means that only a goy may own a slaughterhouse? and that should still be trusted as kosher? stop the non sense.
05-16-2008 - 10:58 AM
The Psak was quoted (and misquoted) by International Glatt when they had their fight with Rabbi Heineman and the Star-K. There are copies floating around. Although it was written in the 1920's, Reb Moshe (Feinstein, for the Lubavitch who read this) signed it 50 years after it was written.
It says that a Yid cannot own a slaughterhouse AND a provision plant. Take your pick - one or the other. This is followed carefully by the Nirbater (who gives the hechsher to Alle and Meal Mart).
This was signed by the greatest Rabbinim in America at that time. You will have to find a Bais Din that is the same or greater to nullify it.
Stop your narishkeit. Rubashkin got caught doing a lot of bad stuff. People are tired of hearing Peta violations, union problems, pollution stories. KAJ stories, Weismandel stories, Kashrus inquiries, sanitation problems, product recalls, shechting of animals that might have Mad Cow desease and shipping those animals out so that your kids and mine can eat it, Animal cruelty (Tzar Baalei Chaim), Immigration violations, having 13 year olds work in the plant. Did I miss anything?
11
May 16, 2008 at 01:52 PM Anonymous Says:
anon 12:54
what makes you think that the breakfast specials wont be very shortly $14.99???? the rate that hese prices are skyrocketing i think we should all grow our fruits and vegetables and just eat crackers because it doesnt seem there is any light at the end of the tunnel in the near future...
12
May 16, 2008 at 01:58 PM Anonymous Says:
anon 1:50
you seem to know alot. and where exactly is this psak floating??? on the east river??? did you see first hand this psak or from hearsay???? if you found this copy or have it with you please post it on Vos iz neias... then we can believe you if not then hamotzie chaveroi uluv haraye.... so i say to you STOP YOUR NONSENSE AND BRING PROOF... if you dont want to eat or buty from rubashkin then dont but until you bring proof about ur nice bedtime story keep quiet
13
May 16, 2008 at 04:23 PM Anonymous Says:
for the information of all, for a short while i was in Postville, and many Rabonim including the Rabanut of Israel, Crown Heights Beis Din (Rabbi Marrlow a"h) KAJ, Margareten, Weissmandel etc. were there, i strongly believe that if there would be any psak regarding issurim etc. these Rabbonim would step in and make changes. but obviously no such issur exist, neither (even if there was) was it Niskabel by any particular community.
Therefore stop being Motzie Shem Ra on Erliche Yidden. The Rubashkin's were and still are big Ba'alei Tzedakah they built this plant and the community with their own hands with the Brocho of Gedolim (i think they even got a brocho from the Lubavitcher Rebbe). it is very easy to spread rumors, but the truth will prevail...
May Hashem send the Geulah NOW!!! Vyitamu Chatoim Velo Choteim Min Ha'aretz!!!
14
May 16, 2008 at 06:39 PM Anonymous Says:
Some jews are really jeoulous of what the Rubashkin family has. Some of you sick people make for great "self hating jews". Anon 1:50 you take the title.
15
May 17, 2008 at 10:38 PM Anonymous Says:
Dear "annonymous". Sorry I dont find you to be so "annonymous". Perhaps I don't know your name, but what I do know from your "concernend" statements is that you are plain and simple a "Mcharech Riv" and Poshut hate the rubashkins. Are youy so carefull to follow all that is written in Shulachan Aruch?! Have YOU read Pirkei Avos lately?! (It happens to be more "known" to ALL Jews - than the obscure Psak you qouate).
You must be Kvelling from pleasure. Are you a disgruntled former employee? Why don't you state YOUR real beef (no pun intended) which YOU have with the Rubashkins.
You may have a very long beard and (think that you only) eat Kosher, but to me you are a SOineiYisroel Muvhak who is drinking (and ENJOYING) another Yid's BLOOD (Lo Sa'amod Al Dam Reiacha!).
Please look up the Pirush HaBaal Shem Tov on the words "Din V'cheshbon" from this week's Pirkei Avos. AND APPLY IT TO YOURSELF.
16
May 17, 2008 at 11:24 PM anon Says:
WHO-TV in Des Moines reports (http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8332288):
Child Labor Investigation
It turns out illegal immigration may not have been the only illegal thing going on at Agriprocessors in Postville. According to Dave Neil, the Iowa Labor Commissioner, his department has "an on-going investigation" into child labor and wage violations there.
According to Iowa law, people under the age of 18 are prohibited from working "in or about slaughtering and meat packing establishments." But rumors that teens were working at Agriprocessors and getting paid off the books had been circulating for months. No one will say just when the state and federal investigations into those rumors began.
What state officials will say is they're not getting much done on the case right now. "Due to this raid and the federal government confiscating all of those records, we're unable to complete our investigation at this time," said Neil.
That's exactly what the United Food and Commercial Workers Union was afraid of. Earlier this month the Union's Vice President wrote a letter to immigration and customs officials asking them to hold off on Monday's raid. The letter said "any potential ICE action could not only have a chilling affect over the existing workforce...ICE action could also result in employees leaving the plant...thereby interfering with the DOL's investigation that could ultimately uncover unscrupulous employer acts."
The one thing the raid did make clear is the investigation into child labor violations was warranted. Federal officials say up to a dozen minors were detained at the plant Monday between the ages of 13 and 17.
17
May 18, 2008 at 11:21 AM Anonymous Says:
"Rubashkin got caught doing a lot of bad stuff. People are tired of hearing Peta violations, union problems, pollution stories. KAJ stories, Weismandel stories, Kashrus inquiries, sanitation problems, product recalls, shechting of animals that might have Mad Cow desease and shipping those animals out so that your kids and mine can eat it, Animal cruelty (Tzar Baalei Chaim), Immigration violations, having 13 year olds work in the plant"
To the people that posted attacking the "anonymous" that wrote the above -
Your answers to him was that he obviously had a 'beef' with the Rubashkin family. Why don't you look at what the Rubashkins did first? Did they show a Kiddush Hashem with their actions? They might be great Baal Tzedaka, but did they get their money using ilegal workers (Dina D'Malchusa) or children? If you can't trust them on Mamonos, how can you trust them on Kashrus?
The answer that you gave looks like a Menachem Lubinsky answer - don't answer the charges, just divert everyone's attention by yelling at the writer.
18
May 18, 2008 at 01:11 PM Anonymous Says:
I have problems with the Lubavitch that shoot first and ask questions later. There are definite problems with Agri and the Rubashkin Family. Why try to find the truth when bashing your enemies comes easier.
How many times have we heard that they are tremendous Baalei Zedaka? So what! If they got their money by cheating their workers, then their zedaka is like a korban from a zonah.
Everyone cheats? Everyone pays their workers off the books? I would expect and demand that the people that are in charge of my Kashrus be better than anybody else. And the bottom line in terms of Kashrus is NOT the Rav Hamachshir, but the Baalei Batim, themselves.
Do you think that we are jealous of the Rubashkin family? Moshe Rubashkin and his son are going to jail for lying to a Federal Grand Jury. Heshy and Shalom can't tell the truth when it came to KAJ. What in the name of Shamayim are we jealous of? They are the black sheep of Yiddishkeit!!
19
May 19, 2008 at 04:40 AM Matzahlocal101 Says:
Who is it that keeps circulatin this lie? The workers were detained at the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo, identified and taken to initial court appearances in the largest single-site immigration crackdown in U.S. history.
Here you have straight of the ICE.GOV website:
1300 illegals picked up at Swift Beef and Pork on Dec 13, 2006, by the same Iowa ICE agents.