Labor Day Holiday replaced for Muslim Holiday at Tyson Chicken!!??

[Dihannah1]

Well, this is only the beginning of where our country is heading.   The last I checked, Labor Day was a "National" holiday, how can they get away with this.  If they want to add one for Muslims specifically, fine, but not replace a National holiday.
I will no longer be purchasing Tyson Chicken!  Enough of accomodating those who chose not to fit in to the American ways!   Who will we accomodate next to be Politically correct?!  Our founding fathers are turning in there graves, I'm sure.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/01/tyson-drops-labor-day-muslim-holiday/

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. — Workers at the Tyson Foods poultry processing plant in Shelbyville will no longer have a paid day off on Labor Day but will instead be granted the Muslim holiday Eid al-Fitr.

According to a news release from the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, a new 5-year contract at the plant included the change to accommodate Muslim workers at the plant.

Tyson’s director of media relations Gary Mickelson said the contract includes eight paid holidays — the same number as the old contract.

Eid al-Fitr — which falls on Oct. 1 this year — marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.

Union leaders say implementing the holiday was important for the nearly 700 Muslims, many of them Somalis, who work at the plant that

[nonesuche]

now do you suppose Somalia would employ 700 of us, much less change their holidays for us?

no more Tyson's chicken for our household either !

[WhiskeyGirl]

I don't think replacing one standard holiday to accommodate a religious group is a new concept.  There are many people that do work during this holiday.  IIRC, many companies accommodated Jewish and Christian holidays and beliefs for many years.  The same with school systems.  I believe this is just an adjustment to something new.  It may also be to the advantage of Tyson.  Perhaps chicken demand/processing  is less in the last quarter of the year due to consumption?  Turkeys?  Hams?  Lamb?

There was another article about Tyson and Somalis -

After raid, Iowa town deals with Somali immigrants

By HENRY C. JACKSON – Jul 28, 2008

POSTVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Scores of Somali immigrants are taking jobs at the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant, replacing Hispanic workers arrested in a huge immigration raid and forcing a remote Iowa town to make another cultural shift.

(snip)

Now the stoops and haunts once occupied by Hispanics are being filled by about 150 Somali men.

Aydurus Farah, a 21-year-old who immigrated from Somalia in 2004, set out for work in meatpacking plants to make money for his family back home in Somalia.

He planned to begin work at Agriprocessors this week, drawn from Minneapolis to Postville by the promised wages.

"They said over there they pay like 13 dollars an hour, very good money," Farah said as he stood outside Sabor Latino, a popular Mexican restaurant.

He said he also appreciates the city's small-town charms.

"I did not like Minneapolis — too many people, too many cars," he said. "I like small towns. I am small town guy, so this is nice place. Maybe I can raise family here."

The influx of Somalis has been met with some surprise in a community still bewildered by the Agriprocessors raid, the largest raid of its kind in the United States. Federal agents arrested 389 people, mostly Guatemalans and Mexicans who had established roots and become part of the community.

(snip)

"That said, as far as I know they haven't caused a whole lot of problems. They've been keeping to themselves," he said.

It's not the first cultural change in Postville. The slaughterhouse attracted eastern Europeans in the 1990s, including immigrants from Bosnia, Poland, Russia and former Soviet Republics. Hispanics became the majority in the last decade.

The result is that a town that barely covers two square miles is home to people from 24 nationalities speaking 17 languages.

(snip)

That runs counter to stories told by workers at the plant who described pay before the raid as $10 an hour or lower with no extra for overtime. Some also claimed the plant hired underage employees and forced its workers to endure unsafe conditions.

(snip)

Regardless of previous claims, Hassam Jilmale said he left work at a Tyson plant in Nebraska because he heard he could make more money with better conditions at Agriprocessors.

(snip)

"We make much more money here," he said. "At the other place, they did not like Somalis. They were no good. So far this is good. It's nice here."

(snip)

Many of the Somalis who have come to Postville are legal immigrants with roots in Minneapolis, which has one of the nation's largest concentrations of Somali immigrants.

(snip)

"It is almost always financial reasons," he said. "Here there are less jobs and the workers cannot cover their financial needs. So they leave so that they can give back ... and they can get a job that doesn't require skills and languages."

No new businesses or mosques have opened in Postville to support the new community, but residents said they are leery about adjusting to another foreign culture even as the outcry over the May raid lingers.

The raid made Postville an unlikely flashpoint in the immigration debate. On Sunday, about 1,000 people, including many Postville residents, marched through the city's streets to protest the immigration raid and Agriprocessors' treatment of employees.

(snip)

"We're just always adjusting and it's scary, it's hard," he said. "We get all these new people and we don't know who they are."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jTl0sGF1ZmzCEhrgZdb5B4baaFxQD9274HPO0

In the working world today, I've seen more companies with a "cafeteria" approach to all the holidays.  They may offer 12 choices and everyone gets to pick just 8.

I've also worked at places that observed many holiday schedules due to non-US holiday schedules. 

I know one person (working for a Japanese company) that had the reverse problem.  The main office in Japan wanted to standardize on the Japanese schedule.  It didn't include things like Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day.  There were no replacement days off offered at the time.

With a production facility, flexibility is a bit harder.  I wonder how many employees at the plant are not Somali?

[nonesuche]

Whiskygirl-

All you've posted just proves that the US is the most immigrant friendly country in the world, the most politically correct as well. This country was supportive of the jewish immigrants due to their religious persecution, that makes sense to me. I don't think I'd like to live in Somalia either, I'd prefer to live in a more progressive country. That being said, I still do not think we should adapt our national holidays for one select group at this point in time. I do however feel if Tyson wants to offer an optional holiday for the Somalians then sobeit, but do not term it as replacing our traditional holiday.

We have to put a stake in the ground, we take the masses that many other countries will not, as a result I think we've been very good hosts but still need to protect our birth citizens first and foremost. It's a fine line but we need to find it, and quick.

[Dihannah1]

Whiskygirl-

All you've posted just proves that the US is the most immigrant friendly country in the world, the most politically correct as well. This country was supportive of the jewish immigrants due to their religious persecution, that makes sense to me. I don't think I'd like to live in Somalia either, I'd prefer to live in a more progressive country. That being said, I still do not think we should adapt our national holidays for one select group at this point in time. I do however feel if Tyson wants to offer an optional holiday for the Somalians then sobeit, but do not term it as replacing our traditional holiday.

We have to put a stake in the ground, we take the masses that many other countries will not, as a result I think we've been very good hosts but still need to protect our birth citizens first and foremost. It's a fine line but we need to find it, and quick.

OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON CHRISTIANITY!  I don't believe this is what our founding fathers meant, other than people have there rights to practice there own religion,  NOT CHANGE OUR entire countries principles!

Foreigners come here, get free housing, free education, among other benefits, that OUR OWN citizens don't get!  Half the time, they come here, take advantage of those benefits, then go home, or set up shop here and become quite comfortable,for FREE!!!  (My Greek next door neighbor received those very free benefits to live here).
YOU may not mind the paying for those current benefits, from OUR TAX money, but I prefer it to go to my own survival, or those of my fellow citizens.  I had to pay for my own education,  I had to struggle to pay my bills, with no help for the govt., but they still feel we OWE them more!!!   

I don't beleive this is what our founding fathers meant,  other than the freedom of religion, which they enjoy.  That's fine by me.  But don't come here and try changing our laws, holidays and principals!   

This country is going down hill so fast, it scares and disgusts me!  Foreigners are taking over, while we let them!   But bitch at us when we go fight THERE wars for THERE own freedoms!   WTF do they even come here for?????      OH Yeah, because they get free benefits, make more money if they do work, to send home to there families and now know they can begin to control and manipulate OUR OWN CONSTITUTION.

[Dihannah1]

My point was in agreement with None.  WG,  I'm shocked at your acceptance of this.  What about our own starving, homeless people?  They could do those jobs, but we give them to Somalis, then on top of that, give them a holiday.  I wouldn't even care if they got there damn holiday, but not at the expense of a National one, what kind of precedence is that setting for every other company?  Will I be taking a wasted Muslim holiday off too?  That holiday is patriotic, not religious!  What about the few people who work there, that may not be Muslim?  I'd quit in a heartbeat and I will NO LONGER buy Tyson foods!

[WhiskeyGirl]

My point was in agreement with None.  WG,  I'm shocked at your acceptance of this.  What about our own starving, homeless people?  They could do those jobs, but we give them to Somalis, then on top of that, give them a holiday.  I wouldn't even care if they got there damn holiday, but not at the expense of a National one, what kind of precedence is that setting for every other company?  Will I be taking a wasted Muslim holiday off too?  That holiday is patriotic, not religious!  What about the few people who work there, that may not be Muslim?  I'd quit in a heartbeat and I will NO LONGER buy Tyson foods!

I have been shocked for years at the growing number of businesses (like restaurants, stores, malls, etc.) that have remained open for national holidays.  Those workers do not get to enjoy the holiday.

I do know quite a few people that may choose to work an established holiday and save that 'flex' day to care for their children (ex. due to sickness or school schedule).  This saves the vacation, sick, or other time off.  In some urban school districts (I have a friend with this 'problem'), they observe the Christian, Jewish, and other holy days.  They get all the days off and the school year is longer.  What to do when your kids are off for the non-traditional days?  Spend all your vacation time?

The article does point out these people are willing to leave their city life for an unknown rural town.  The lure?  A job paying $13 dollars an hour.  A job that will allow them to send money home to their families.

"What about our own starving, homeless people?  They could do those jobs, but we give them to Somalis,..."

I am inclined to belief that many, if not the vast majority of homeless people, have issues (like mental illness) that prevent them from working any job.

I do believe that there are many opportunities for unemployed Americans.  How many want to leave the large cities for life in rural America?  A town of just a few thousand people?

How many would work for $10/hr like illegal immigrants?  For $13/hr like the Somalis?

I wonder how many non-Hispanic or non-Somali individuals applied for these jobs? 

I also think the workers must have the support of the union in order to get this alternate day off.   Ramadan falls on a different day each year, it is like Easter - not a fixed date.

I imagine that the alternative might affect the ability of many to take off for Easter or Christmas.  I believe, I may be wrong, that the alternative day affects just the plant in Shelbyville TN.

[caesu]

Labor Day Still Recognized at Tyson Foods; Union Contract Provision only at Shelbyville, TN Plant

Springdale, Arkansas – August 4, 2008 – Contrary to recent reports, Labor Day is still a holiday at Tyson Foods.  This issue concerns only the plant at Shelbyville, TN.  The majority of employees at the Tyson plant in Shelbyville, TN, are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Stores Union (RWDSU), an American union that asked for and received Eid al-Fitr, as one of their eight paid holidays, in place of Labor Day.  This applies only to the Shelbyville plant and resulted as part of the union contract negotiated last fall. This change does not apply to Tyson Foods' other 118 plants. This is not a religious accommodation, rather, it is part of a union-initiated contract demand.

This change came about as a result of union demands brought to the negotiating table, and was agreed upon by Tyson in an effort to reach a contractual agreement with the union.  The contract that calls for this change was unanimously recommended by the 12-person union bargaining committee, which included three Somali employees. The contract was then overwhelmingly agreed to by 80 percent of the rank and file membership of the union at the Shelbyville plant.

The Muslim population at the Shelbyville plant is primarily composed of approximately 250 Somali employees, who are political refugees, most of whom came to the plant as a result of refugee resettlement efforts based in Nashville.  They were employed at the plant through the Tennessee Department of Employment Security office.     

The Shelbyville complex employs approximately 1,200 people.  Approximately 1,000 workers are covered by the union agreement at Shelbyville.

http://www.tyson.com/Corporate/PressRoom/ViewArticle.aspx?id=3012

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somali_Civil_War
Date    1988 - current
Location    Somalia
Status    ongoing

[A's Fever]

From the Tyson Foods corporate website:

Labor Day Still Recognized at Tyson Foods; Union Contract Provision only at Shelbyville, TN Plant

Springdale, Arkansas – August 4, 2008 – Contrary to recent reports, Labor Day is still a holiday at Tyson Foods.  This issue concerns only the plant at Shelbyville, TN.  The majority of employees at the Tyson plant in Shelbyville, TN, are represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Stores Union (RWDSU), an American union that asked for and received Eid al-Fitr, as one of their eight paid holidays, in place of Labor Day.  This applies only to the Shelbyville plant and resulted as part of the union contract negotiated last fall. This change does not apply to Tyson Foods' other 118 plants. This is not a religious accommodation, rather, it is part of a union-initiated contract demand. 

This change came about as a result of union demands brought to the negotiating table, and was agreed upon by Tyson in an effort to reach a contractual agreement with the union.  The contract that calls for this change was unanimously recommended by the 12-person union bargaining committee, which included three Somali employees. The contract was then overwhelmingly agreed to by 80 percent of the rank and file membership of the union at the Shelbyville plant. 

The Muslim population at the Shelbyville plant is primarily composed of approximately 250 Somali employees, who are political refugees, most of whom came to the plant as a result of refugee resettlement efforts based in Nashville.  They were employed at the plant through the Tennessee Department of Employment Security office.     

The Shelbyville complex employs approximately 1,200 people.  Approximately 1,000 workers are covered by the union agreement at Shelbyville.

http://www.tyson.com/Corporate/PressRoom/ViewArticle.aspx?id=3012


And from the same website, About Tyson/Our Core Values tab:

Who we are:

We strive to be a company of diverse people
working together to produce food.
We strive to be honorable people.
We strive to be a faith-friendly company.

 
What we do:

We feed our families, the nation, and the world
with trusted food products.
We serve as stewards of the animals, land,
and environment entrusted to us.
We strive to provide a safe work environment
for our Team Members.

 
How we do it:

We strive to earn consistent and satisfactory profits for our
shareholders and to invest in our people, products, and processes.
We strive to operate with integrity and trust in all we do.
We strive to honor God and be respectful of each other, our
customers, and other stakeholders.

http://www.tyson.com/Corporate/AboutTyson/CompanyInformation/CoreValues.aspx
 

Sounds like a pretty decent company to me . . . very few publicly traded companies make statements about faith and God in their corporate statements these days.
 

[Dihannah1]

WG,  You are right about alot of the homeless who are mentally ill.  I do believe there are some who may appreciate a job, but need an address to get one, but can't get one without a job.   I have worked holidays on many occasions because of the nature of my job.  I'm in IT and had to work New Years eve for the Millenium, when all computers were supposed to crash.   However, I felt it important to do what was right at the time.  I've also had to rotate holidays with others to be sure they were all covered without anybody forced to work every holiday.  Yes, there are those cases, but it is out of necessity or choice.  Wasn't thrilled about it, but I didn't have to take a day to accomodate anothers religion, as I wouldn't expect them too either. 

I just have such a problem with with foreigners coming here, expecting us to accomodate them, when as None said, THERE countries wouldn't for us.  If I moved to another country, I would just expect that I would have to accept there culture, knowing that in advance and making my own personal choice.  I don't have a problem with immigrants who come here to prosper and become a productive members of our society, nor practicing there own religion, I work with MANY of them.  But it's the principal of changing our American traditions and our patriotic holidays that mean something to this country, and I fear we are setting a precedent.   As for those companies you mentioned, such as restaurants, etc.  that is still a choice.   I personally don't care what the Union says, they are getting there dues, they really don't give a crap, as long as the money keeps rolling in to them.  THEY are unpatriotic!

[nonesuche]

Dihannah, I understand your anger and your concerns, for the original tenant for our constitution was to allow immigrants seeking freedom to work and to thrive. Unions were not part of that equation and just look at the state of Detroit today if you'd like to see the work of unions in action.

When you have a truly specialized skill such as microbiology or research specialties or even neurosurgery which all require significant educational credentials and years to achieve those - then you can drive the market in terms of supply vs demand. Unions for labor workers are far removed from their original purpose now and the cost for companies to manage through those unions is a rising cost as well, a cost which rightfully figures into the cost of doing business and a drain on profits too. There are two sides to unions, the original intent to protect workers unable to fight their battles due to a lack of education or skills in negotiating, or as we see so often today when corporations are held hostage by them.

FYI, 250 workers is less than 25% of the overall personnel in that plant, it is 25% of the production personnel. Why would less than 50% of the vote drive this decision? Why ther power of unions to threaten, nothing less and nothing more - it's real simple.

If the Somalians in this plant are highly educated and working at positiong paying $13/hour then I wish them a better job, if they are not highly educated and working for $13/hour then do the math. That is approximately 26K/year which is fair for that level of skill and education.

Sorry if I sound harsh but reality is reality, we'd all like to earn the top price for our skills but one can also earn only what the market will bear.
 

[Dihannah1]

No, I need to apologize.  If I weren't allowing my emotions get best of me,  I would have seen that Tyson is not eliminating the holiday.  I had not seen that.  So sorry to those I raged or vented too, it was nothing personal, just my strong opinion, for personal reasons.   

I do understand what the Unions were created for and for good reason, some time ago, and what they are supposed to stand for, but I have personal experience with a union through my DH, that I won't bother going into, and of course my strong opinions on what we do for immigrants that we won't do for many of our own citizens, again, through personal experience.

It just kills me to see our country going to hell in a hand basket and I mean in MANY areas, not just immigration.  That is why this election is so important and I don't feel confident about it, either way.

I really do appreciate the diversity of our country, I have learned so much at work and other experiences in my life,  from very intelligent, educated immigrants from many walks of life. In fact, I had a conversation with a man from India, who just started working where I do and who was educated here in my city, and said he will never go back to India, becuase he loves his job and our country.  He's lived in several states, but feelsl most comfortable here in OHIO, (a large melting pot). He even pays for his family to come here to visit, rather than go there.  So it is not so much about them,  it's the other side of it that urkes me so bad, as I guess I made myself very clear.

But, again, I am releived that they are NOT eliminating the holiday, let them provide a muslim holiday for those who practice muslim, or whatever it may be. I am fine with that, as long as it doesn't interfere with our own practices.

[crazybabyborg]

For whatever it's worth, I give my employees Good Friday off and it's a paid Holiday. 

[nonesuche]

CBB - I am not surprised that you encourage your employees to respect faith in their lives 

Dihannah - you know what I do for a living, so I'm sure you know also that some of my work is heavily impacted by union regulatory processes. The original intent of unions I have no issue with, I've won awards for my success with increasing diversity - Tyson's move is good for them and their diversity in that plant - but not necessarily a good bellwether in the overall marketplace.

[Dihannah1]

CBB and None,  You both are very special people, I've known that for a long time.  It is people like you who make this country still the best country to live in!  I just love you both.

WhiskeyGirl,   I appreciate all you bring here and such a wide variety of topics, allowing us to discuss many issues.  As you can see, you hit a nerve on this topic for me and I over-reacted,   but I do try to remain open minded and of course I learn so much from so many posters here.  So thank you, you are wise as well.

I may be open minded, but as I read what/who Obama stands for, my mind shut down awhile ago on that topic! 

[Dihannah1]

LOL! CBB, my avi is very fitting in this thread 

[WhiskeyGirl]

It sounds like some good discussion here.

While reading about his union change, I read about so many poultry and other meat processing plants closing due to the high cost of grain, rise in price, and I imagine lower demand.

Makes me wonder if they plan to slow or close that plant or some others.  Why argue if you know it won't matter in a year?

I have a prolific email forwarder among my circle of friends and she sent me one that contained the following -

Look at every path closely and deliberately,
then ask ourselves this crucial question:

Does this path have a heart?

If it does, then the path is good

If it doesn't, it is of no use

~ Carlos Castaneda ~

Seems like we have a lot of heart in this thread.

[truthseeker2]

Well folks, you are witnessing the very method of operation of a socialist takeover.  Those pushing it go right at the very fabric of a society and tear it down.  Do you really think the Muslim workers came up with this idea?  For heaven sakes, some liberal started this and that is how it always works.

Tyson could provide a religious holiday for them without taking one away from the rest of it's employees.  But, that is not how you spread the disease.  You have to take something away or it's a failure.

Tyson...you have lost my business.

[nonesuche]

truthseeker, thank you for seeing what I see - this isn't about a holiday at all. If so, an additional holiday just like Kwanzaa would have been added.

[nonesuche]

forgive my typo, I should have typed Kwanzai with an i not an a