New Allegations Of Rubashkin Worker Abuse

Agriprocessors' new "compliance officer" Jim Martin doesn't seem to be enforcing compliance very well, as…

…these tidbits from the Minneapolis StarTribune shows:

New replacement worker Josephina Ortiz, near tears, telling strangers that she came from California based on promises by Agriprocessors of free rent, food and a good job. Instead, she claims, she found a filthy, expensive apartment and mandatory 14-hour days.

"Please God, somebody help us," said Ortiz, who is in the United States legally. "There's something bad in this town. I don't know how this can happen in the United States of America."…

Then there are Agriprocessors' new hires, whites and African-Americans, who arrived on the bus. They said they'd been promised a $100 advance, but few of them got it. So their first stop was the [Catholic Church's] food shelf.

Diane Morris, who was living in a Texas homeless shelter, said the company promised a free furnished apartment for a month. Instead, she was put in a four-bedroom house with 10 men, she said. "Everywhere I've been I've been sexually approached," she said.

She claims she was fired after two days when she went to the company clinic for medications for a mental illness.…

One recent morning, [Father Paul] Ouderkirk slipped on his St. Paul medal "for protection" and drove to the plant to get money he said is still owed to arrested workers. He waited for 40 minutes, then left, empty-handed and exasperated. [The workers' families need the money to eat and pay rent.]

"Workers openly say they were advised by the plant on how to get false documents," he said. "Now if the government does not take action on that and charge the owners, then this was strictly a raid to threaten and terrorize people."

The situation at Agriprocessors reveals "a lack of respect of human dignity of people other than you," Ouderkirk said.…

I checked into Diane Morris' situation. Late last week I was told she was returning to Texas. She did not get the promised return bus ticket from Agriprocessors – the company Jim Martin works for. She got her ticket when the Catholic Church raised the money and purchased it. That is also how she got food, housing and medical care. The Rubashkins and their compliance officer did nothing to help.

Something is very bad in Postville, and all the multi-million dollar PR firms and former US Attorneys now on the Rubashkin PR payroll cannot change that fact.

'There's something bad in this town'-3.pdf

Comments

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

The words חסידים and חסדים are very much related. A חסיד is one who goes לפני מישורת הדין. Similarly, to do חסדים for someone, one has to go beyond one's self to do so. That's why the bird, the חסידה, is a treif bird. Sure he does חסדים, but they are only performed for the benefit of birds of his kind.

It's telling that this insight is lost on the Rubbishcans, people who purport to be חסידים. It seems that they are only looking out for number one and those of their kind.

[Baruch]

Thes People are all THUGS, and belong in JASIL.

[Former Postville Resident]

Here's another article on worker abuse at Agri

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/06/29/news/regional/10426772.txt

And more about the food shelf:
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/06/29/news/regional/10437798.txt

[Isa]

Types of bosses to run away from:
Ukrainian
Son of SS officer
KKK
Neo nazi
sex pervert
Rubashkin

[mordecai]

When I first read the book "POSTVILLE" several years ago, I felt that the author was not giving the Lubbies a fair shake. It seemed that the author had some kind of self-serving agenda. He was a newly arrived journalism professor at the University of Iowa and he swelled a story to capitalize on.

As I learned more about the Rubashkins from this blog and others it became clear to me that author irrespective of his agenda was not off base.

POSTVILLE, AGRI, and everything associated with it became a giant business opportunity. Along with Rubashkin came investments in real estate to house the workers. The more in a room the merrier. Every way a dime could be squeezed out of the hapless worker was utilized to the fullest.

The whole Rubashkin crew and his hanger-ons revolt me.

[John K. Diamond]

Yes, Mordechai, the whole Rubashkin thing is revolting, as well as his enablers, all of the Orthodox Kosher cerfification agencies that have put their hechsher on his products and the Rabbis and others that have defended them.

But we should consider, that G-d Himself, is the most revolted One of all and, in His infinite Mercy and Goodness, is slowly and methodically wiping Rubashkin and his ilk from the face of the earth, just as He had to do with Korach and his associates.

[Father Egge]

Wait a minute, in the WFC Courier article it says nothing about people not getting the $100 advance, as a matter of fact it states "The Rev. Paul Rael said workers arrived hungry because they received only $100 to live on for two weeks until their first paycheck." Yet you see it fit to highlight the claim reported in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that few of them got it. Are you calling the priest a liar? After all he is directly quoted in the WFC Courier whereas the claim that the workers did not receive it is just a statement of the reporter. We know that you have an agenda and can only see negative. Didn't your mother teach you if have nothing nice to say then don't talk. What you have engaged in is pure and simple gossip.

[John K. Diamond]

"The Rev. Paul Rael said workers arrived hungry because they received only $100 to live on for two weeks until their first paycheck."

Excuse me, this statement by Rev. Paul Rael means that he was aware of only workers he actually saw, getting the $100 advance. It does not mean that ALL of them did.

The claim made in the newspaper, that only a small percentage received this $100 is not in conflict with Rev. Paul Rael's statement and does not make him nor the newpaper liars.

[Father Egge]

But it does point out how Scott chooses to emphasize the negative. The pastor is describing those that came to use the food shelf. Reading the statment of the priest it can be easily seen that ALL of those who came to use the food shelf had received the $100 advance. Scott chooses to emphasize the reporters allegation that few of them received it. The reporter offers no source or evidence for that statement. Scott chooses to draw attention to highlight only negative. Which taints everything he posts on his blog.

[John K. Diamond]

I disagree again.

With the long history of documented Rubashkin mistreatment of both animals and people, we have to assume the negative, as far as they are concerned.

Scott does emphasize the negative, as do many others of us on this blog. We simply have to go by the overwhemingly negative history of moral turpitude on the part the Rubashkin clan over many years.

[Father Egge]

Disagree? With the long history of negative assumption of Scott and the ilk that jump on his attack band wagon we have to assume that this taints their judgment and ability to represent anything on this blog. It clouds their perception and is deserving of ridicule rather than anything being taken seriously. Contrary to the efforts to be taken as a serious source (look at how Scott lists failedmessiah in the media) it ultimately appears to be yellow journalism and a personal vendeta for whatever sad reason that Scott may have, only his therapist if anyone can know for sure.

[Father Egge]

We don't have to assume anything. in particular the negative. Your choice to do so is sad and contrary to well established Jewish attitudes. You have done done a balanced representation of the personal kindness and generosity of the Rubashkin family. Try assuming the positive for a change.

[John K. Diamond]

If I follow your logic to its conclusion, then we must assume that a serial killer, who has been indicted for murdering 25 innocent human beings, is suddenly worthy of being let out of prison on our positive belief that he will never commit any more murders.

It's quite obvious to me, that you have not studied, in depth, the sordid history of the many Rubashkin Scandals as I, Scotty and others on this blog have.

Please do so, to permit us to have a reasonable and productive on-line conversation.

[from the area]

Perhaps Father Egge has lived in the area for many years or is living now in the Postville area and has witnessed many positive things in the community!!

[John K. Diamond]

It would be wonderful, if someone would document objectively, that positive things are on the increase in Postville, things could could be verified by at least one independent second source.

But until the Rubashkin clan repents of their very long history of sins against man and G-d, and changes their ways permanently, there will be no complete repair of the damage they have done to the good folks in Postville.

[Shmarya]

Most workers did not get the $100 advance. Some did. But the costs of their rent and the need for them to buy their own boots and safety equipment -- something not standard in the industry -- wiped it out.

To eat, they need the food shelf.

[michael ben drosai]

"With the long history of documented Rubashkin mistreatment of both animals and people, we have to assume the negative, as far as they are concerned.

Scott does emphasize the negative, as do many others of us on this blog. We simply have to go by the overwhemingly negative history of moral turpitude on the part the Rubashkin clan over many years."

how do you say so litlle with so many words?

[John K. Diamond]

[how do you say so litlle with so many words?]

Really, Mr. Mike.

I have, unfortunately come to the sad conclusion, that you are in dire need of a "Check-Up from the Neck-Up."

[Father Egge]

Your negative insults of those who say a differenct perspective is ultimately childish and hateful. When was the last time you visited and spoke to anyone first hand to verify anything that you have written here? Just hearsay and focusing on negative reports.

[michael ben drosai]

thanks John - your ascerbic wit is truly underwhelming- BTW how much time have YOU spent in Postville touring the plant? speaking to and observing the workers? Just curious.

BTW you're old testament, fire and brimstone apocalyptic pronouncements give away your past - you might wish to tone down a bit (at least Carol Ann, concerned as she is about the other 70% of Rubashkin's non-kosher output - will tell you where she's from if pressed

[rebitzman]

>>When was the last time you visited and spoke to anyone first hand to verify anything that you have written here? <<

I HAVE talked with people who have been there - people I trust and respect who have interviewed the illegals (before and after the raid), and what they are telling me is exactly what is being written.

[John K. Diamond]

Thanks, Rebitzman.

It's fruitless to mess with people like Michael.

They have their minds made up and aren't open to ojectively obtaining the truth. They are experts in their own minds.

But old Harry Truman had this to say about these so-called experts:

"An expert is a fellow who's afraid to learn anything new, because then he won't be an expert anymore."

[michael ben drosai]

just as I suspected - 2nd hand smoke - thanks for the confirmation

[rebitzman]

++It's fruitless to mess with people like Michael.++

I understand - if you hit the bullseye, they quickly move the target and deny, deny, deny.....

In fact - I see it's already happened.

There is not a great gulf between hearing it yourself and hearing it "second hand" from your spouse (who got it first hand - did I mention that part before?), but those of michael's ilk will blow that crack into a canyon in order to protect their myopic view on things.

Bottom line - there will always be a shortage of horse heads.

No biggie.