Agriprocessors To Import Workers From Micronesia, Martial Islands, Palau

Agriprocessors business plan was always based on hiring cheap, usually illegal non-union labor.

Now that Agriprocessors illegal worker supply has been largely shut off, it has to turn to creative attempts to fill its ranks – hiring homeless from Texas, down-and-out workers from Chicago and other Midwestern cities, and Somali immigrants.

Agriprocessors was flooded with Somali workers. But there is a problem with the Somalis…

…They pray 5 times a day, meaning the line has to be stopped to accommodate them – and Agriprocessors won't do that.

So now, this:

Calling for Palauan, Martial Islands and FSM workers

MONDAY, 11 AUGUST 2008 00:00
BY CHERRIE ANNE E. VILLAHERMOSA
VARIETY NEWS STAFF

PALAU Meatworkers League has announced the job opening for 60 qualified workers who will be working in Postville, Iowa.

Dr. Paul Maas Risenhoover in a media statement said that they have secured the opportunity for qualified Palauan workers to immediately begin working on August 17, 2008 on a second shift turkey processing line..

Risenhoover said applicants need to have excellent skills in sharp knives and meat slaughtering.

Qualified workers will be paid $10 per hour with incremental pay increases based on skill and performance up to $18 per hour.

Dormitory style housing arrangements will be made so that the workers will be free to enjoy the friendship of community living and working together.

Husband and wife teams or families with children are welcome to apply.

Risenhoover said that they would strive to place any applicant regardless of gender.

Applicants are required to attend the orientation sessions to learn about the work requirements, safety information and their rights under the law and Compact of Free Association.

Orientation training will include an introduction to the universal principles of morality known as the Seven Noachide Laws which the US Congress has encouraged the whole world to study and observe as the bedrock foundations of civilization since the ancient days.

Workers must be prepared to leave for Iowa immediately after orientation.

Applicants are welcome to come by the Division of Labor’s Job Placement office to complete a standard application form and sign up today.

Applicants from Martial islands and FSM are welcome to apply. A Digital photograph of the applicants is needed for the paperwork and application processes.

Interested applicants can call the Division of Labor or at Mingles at 4888249. For evenings and weekend call 7755078; 7755578 and 7780838.

Palau Meatworkers League is an unincorporated league that ministers to Palauan workers and their families as a ministry of a non-profit religious community for non-Jewish people.

The factory owners are Orthodox Jews who produce Kosher religious meat for Jewish families and many Seventh Day Adventists, purchase their Kosher meats.

Palau Meatworkers League will help the applicants apply and will guide them to learn how to qualify for the USDA Socially Disadvantaged Beginning Farmer Loan programs which could allow applicant to borrow up to $1,000 per farmer.

A public orientation meeting will be conducted this weekend at Mingle’s Restaurant.

Palau.
Federated States of Micronesia.
Martial Islands.

Comments

[Archie Bunker]

That would be Marshall Islands.

[steve]

These countries always vote pro-Israel in the U.N. Here's one example:

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=11418&Cr=middle&Cr1=east

[Archie Bunker]

Don't forget that one of the Jack Abramoff scandals was tied into these islands.

[Archie Bunker]

If we want to keep them as pro-Israel would should convince them not to work for Rubashkin.

[Archie Bunker]

Getzel and Lubinsky should lead the welcoming committee when the Polynesians disembark in Postville. It would be hilarious to see them decked out with those Hawaiian-style flower tchatchkes around their necks.

[Archie Bunker]

"Orientation training will include an introduction to the universal principles of morality known as the Seven Noachide Laws"

Hmmm, so Rubashkin is pressing the shiva mitzvos Bnei Noach on their workers when they are such poor examples themselves in op-pressing them.

Jewish geography!

[steve]

Martial Islands

Is that where Jackie Chan is from?

[sage]

+++Hmmm, so Rubashkin is pressing the shiva mitzvos Bnei Noach on their workers when they are such poor examples themselves in op-pressing them.+++

I believe it's much worse than this. Decent folks of various nationalities are being given a crash hands-on course on what "Chillul HaShem is."

Can we go any lower than this?

[steve]

FROM THE MARSHALL ISLANDS TO GILLIGAN'S ISLAND:

http://tinyurl.com/5u4zdg

A Three Hour Tour, a Three Hour Tour

(Jewish Star Editorial — Issue of August 15, 2008)

We must be missing something.

Federal and state law enforcement is investigating the Rubashkin plant in Postville, Iowa a half dozen different ways, with the most recent unpleasant revelation being alleged child labor violations on a scale said to be unprecedented in the State of Iowa. Yet, to hear continuing reaction to that now famous three hour tour of the plant by a group of rabbis — remember Gilligan’s three hour tour? — a guy not paying attention might think the entire Postville matter has been exposed as a trumped-up blood libel put out there by union organizers who play hardball.

It’s nice to know that the Rubashkin plant is spotless. After all that downtime following the immigration raid, we suppose they had time to clean up a little. Does anyone else think it would have been relevant to point out that Rubashkin paid for the tour? The National Council of Young Israel, which led the visit to Potemkin Village, apparently didn’t.

It’s also good to know that some of the townspeople are standing behind their biggest local employer. And it’s true that an accused under our system of justice is presumed innocent until proven guilty. And it seems clear that the United Food and Commercial Worker’s Union, frustrated in its attempts to unionize the plant, has been trying to stick it to the Rubashkins for years. But, with all that said, does anyone really believe that there’s no case here?

Obviously, we’re not condoning a rush to justice; we’re certainly not condoning loshon horah; and we’re absolutely not condoning the union’s over-the-top activities. But smoke and fire do tend to work together and it seems eminently clear to us that not everything that was going on at that plant was on the up and up. In case you don’t know, The Forward has been reporting this story for years leading up to recent events. Some of the reporting has been about the back and forth with the union, but not all of it. In fact, it’s fair to say that for people who have been following that paper’s coverage, none of this is even much of a surprise.

Pretend for a moment that the initial fuss was about a serious, alleged kashrus violation, and not about civil laws. After what happened in Monsey last year, is there anyone who cares about kashrus who wouldn’t have said, “better safe than sorry” and “you can’t be too careful?” Unlikely. There would have been little talk of loshon horah, and few, if any self-righteous calls about waiting for all the facts. At some point, all the facts will be in - probably at a trial, or maybe several. But in the meantime, what to do?

The Orthodox Union’s point about not being equipped to police legal compliance and immigration issues is a fair one, and calls to boycott Rubashkin meat altogether run headlong into realpolitik ­­ namely that the loss of the plant could, and has, wreaked havoc with the glatt meat market. Still, something useful has to come from this.

If nothing else, we hope it’s this: a realization within all parts of the frum community that mitzvah haboh b’aveira is not ok, that civil laws do matter, and that one ignores them at his peril.

[402]

this is great news. i am happy that agri will be able to get back on its feet - and what will you guys complain about next - how agri is ruining your life...

[Stephen Mendelsohn]

BS"D

It may not just be about stopping the line for the Somalis. Praying five times a day out-frums the Rubashkins, and they do not like being stood up.

[Getzel Rubashkin]

++They pray 5 times a day, meaning the line has to be stopped to accommodate them++

False. There is a longstanding Muslim presence in the plant, and the many I have spoken to, both old and new have said they have no problem in that area. There is no need for the line to stop.

That Noachide laws thing is interesting, I wonder who put that in. That's not part of normal orientation here.

[jaytee1818]

"The factory owners are Orthodox Jews who produce Kosher religious meat for Jewish families..."

Is the meat as religious as the Rubashkin's?

[steve]

If you look closely at the meat, you can see plenty of moving and shaking.

[Proud Reform Jew]

St. Brigid's better start taking up a collection for airline tickets back to the South Pacific when these workers realize how they got suckered into the Jewish version of hell.

[Jeff Abbas]

Pardon the cross-post, but I wanted to make sure my hat has been fully thrown in to the "songwriting ring."

Palau to Postville – A Topical/Tropical Tale

*Sung to the tune of Gilligan’s Island

We’re heading out to the United States
To produce some Kosher meat
In a place called Postville, Iowa
Oy vey! It’s a deal so sweet.

The place we’re going is squeaky clean
And all the workers smile.
We watched the film the Rabbis made
The plant is not defiled.

We’ll immerse ourselves in a friendly town
That really is quite quaint
But our friends warn us of one big thing
The beaches, they just ain’t.

We’ll be living in some real nice homes
They tell us dormitory-like.
We’ll be together all day long
And likely all the night.

We’ve said goodbye to the tall palm trees
And the balmy tropic breeze
So we can go to Iowa
Where soon our butts will freeze.

Who wants to live on a tropical isle
Just like our predecessors
When we can go to Postville Land
And work for Agriprocessors.

Our heads are high and our hearts our gay
As we head for the promised land
We’re going to learn so many things
Soon the 7 Noachide we’ll understand.

We do have one small question, though
And it deals with a matter of fact
If we want to leave our position there
How the hell will we get back!

[sparky]

The South Pacific?! Wonder what they'll think about our harsh Iowa winters!!!!!!

[SA]

How much will the new workers be charged for the jobs? Agent fees, airfare, housing provided by Rubashkin, will eat into $10/hr. fast. Will they have money to get home if they quit?

[reader]

Archie bunker: "Don't forget that one of the Jack Abramoff scandals was tied into these islands"

Do you have a point or do you just type?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Jeff: I'm glad someone is carrying on my tradition in my absence. Good job.

Here's my version: (Apologies Stan Getz)

Tall and tan and young and lovely, the girl from Micronesia goes schecting
And when she cuts, each cow she cuts goes - moo!

When she works, she's treated like a "Sambo" that works so hard and paid so
poorly
That when she cashes, each check she cashes goes - aah

Ooh But I watch her so sadly, How can I tell her who exploits her,
Yes "chillul" breaks our hearts badly,

(Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely, the girl from Micronesia goes working)

And when treif passes, he [mashgiach] smiles - but he doesn't see

(Ooh) But I watch her so sadly, how can tell her 'bout Postville?
Yes, I would give her an ear full,

But each day, when he [mashgiach] walks to out to see
He looks straight ahead, at his fee

Tall, and tan, and young, and lovely, the girl from Micronesia goes working
And when she passes out, I weep - but the OU doesn't see
(The OU just doesn't see, it doesn't see)

[Yochanan Lavie]

Note: The above sung to the tune of "The Girl from Ipanema".

[Carol-Ann]

The musical parodies are delicious! There's so much talent on this blog.

[pacific islander]

Archie Bunker posted "Don't forget that one of the Jack Abramoff scandals was tied into these islands"

The islands mentioned are the the Marshall Islands as well as the Republic of Palau. Ambramoff's scandal was tied to Northern Marianas as well as Guam. Totally different places..even tho his scandal has nothing to do with the subject at hand, I just wanted to clarify that point.

[Neil]

If the beautiful people of these exotic islands are brought to the USA, Israel or any other enviornment with large numbers of Jews, Americans,etc., we must always act in the most ethical ways & not to exploit them in any way, shape or form!!!!!

[Islanesia]

Out of curiosity: what, precisely, is the problem with Palauans coming to work in the States?

I've seen plenty of (fantastic, but incorrectly stereotyped) song parodies, but I've seen little reason to think anything is wrong with the situation.

[1248717268]

mn9KCr btqtoart iunalqgm jvisyhzi