LA Times: What Is Agriprocessors Thinking?

I don't think the question any longer is what is Agriprocessors thinking – we know that.

The question should be: What is the…

…OU thinking? Why does the OU continue to put its trademarked symbol on packages of Agriprocessors' meat? At what point do ethics, morality and halakha trump profits? Is the OU really so corrupt, so greedy, so money hungry that it cannot do the right thing?

If the answer to this question is yes – and I believe it is – then we only have one option: stop trusting the OU. Do not rely on it. Perhaps, even boycott it.

What is Agriprocessors thinking?
The meatpacking company's anti-union tactics, not to mention its business model, leave a lot to be desired.
September 4, 2008

The May immigration raid at Agriprocessors Inc.'s Iowa plant, which resulted in the arrest of 389 illegal immigrants, continues to have abundant negative fallout for the company and its workers. Yet, although the raid garnered national headlines, of more significance to workers everywhere is the ongoing struggle of Agriprocessors' New York employees to organize and the company's effort to thwart them.

Three years ago, employees at the meat processing company's Brooklyn distribution center voted to unionize, but Agriprocessors would not honor the vote. The National Labor Relations Board ordered it to do so. Instead, it is petitioning the Supreme Court to hear a case arguing that illegal immigrants do not have the right to join labor unions. If it wins, the company's apparent business model -- using illegal immigrants until caught but denying them union protections -- could usher in a new era of worker serfdom.

This should alarm people on all sides of the immigration debate -- those who favor stepped-up deportations and sanctions against employers of illegal immigrants, as well as those who support increased labor and civil rights for immigrants. Should Agriprocessors prevail, illegal immigrants would be vulnerable to even greater human rights and labor abuses than they are now, and employers would have more incentive not to hire U.S. citizens, who have the right to organize.

The Supreme Court settled this question in 1984, ruling in Sure-Tan Inc. vs. the National Labor Relations Board that the National Labor Relations Act clearly pertains to illegal immigrants unless they fall under the exemptions determined by Congress -- agricultural laborers and domestic workers, people employed by spouses or parents, independent contractors and those employed by a business not subject to the act. None of those exemptions apply to Agriprocessors. Furthermore, in January, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington stated in its ruling against Agriprocessors that the right of illegal immigrants to unionize protects U.S. workers by assuring "that the wages and employment conditions of lawful residents are not adversely affected by the competition of illegal alien employees who are not subject to the standard terms of employment."

With its immigration-related labor woes in Iowa, where it runs the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant, you'd think Agriprocessors would have learned its lesson. Instead, like immigrants who keep coming back after being deported, it's doing all it can to exploit every crack in the United States' broken immigration system.

[Hat Tip: Rebitzman.]

Comments

[steve]

At what point do ethics, morality and halakha trump profits? Is the OU really so corrupt, so greedy, so money hungry that it cannot do the right thing?

Just look at who's at the top at the OU and you will have your answer.

[sage]

Genack has stated that the OU will do NOTHING until Rubashkin is convicted.

Let's pray that Genack and other OU folks get convicted, as well, and serve time in prison with the Rubashkins.

[Archie Bunker]

Genack will waffle when Rubashkin is convicted because he doesn't want to lose the account.

[Jason]

I spoke to a friend recently who is Modern Orthodox. Very observant but with a good secular education and very bright. He could not believe the things I was telling him (things that have been well-documented) about Rubashkins and the OU because the stories seemed SO outrageous that he just couldn't buy them. He was so conditioned by his background to trust someone just because that person called themselves "Rabbi." He could not accept that "religious" people would do such things, on such a massive scale. He is finally coming around, but this is what we are up against in the kosher community.

The more outrageous the behavior of Rubashkin or the OU, the more likely they are to get away with that behavior (at least within the community -- the law is a different matter) because it is hard for religious people to accept that such outrageousness actually goes on on such a massive scale and is true. I'm sure people felt the same way about the Catholic Church.

[Archie Bunker]

UOJ has floated the idea of boycotting the OU as have several rabbis in both the yeshiva & Chassidic worlds. The big obstacle is that the OU controls all the building block ingredients at the industrial level used by all other hashgochos.

UOJ may have 100,000s in liquid funds to go after the Agudah & YTT but he does not have the millions required to defeat the mammoth that the OU has become.

[Archie Bunker]

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/09/04/more_immigration_chutzpah/

Boston Globe socks it to Rubashkin.

[Jason]

A boycott of the OU will be very difficult. Many major national brands carry the OU and any boycott will be a drop in the bucket of their business -- barely noticeable. It would work better for the purely kosher brands or kosher restaurants. Even then, it could backfire unless you knew you had enough people to really make it effective. If it didn't work, it would be clear evidence (at least from a pr perspective) that the community accepted OU's behavior.

[sage]

I think that a focused boycott of all OU certified animal based foods might be doable and appropriate to the current situation.

It is in the kosher animal Agribusinesses, where the majority of the Chillul HaShem takes place.

[Aharon Varady]

Our grandparents somehow managed to survive without being beholden to processed packaged foods. It's not as if Jews don't have an alternative to eating non-OU food, they've just grown to accustomed to processed foods and increasingly, a meat-centered diet. We all have it within our power to choose to eat ethically and wisely within the halakhic mandate of kashrut -- without OU supervision.

[Anonymous]

UOJ may have 100,000s in liquid funds to go after the Agudah & YTT but he does not have the millions required to defeat the mammoth that the OU has become.

Posted by: Archie Bunker

You have lots of liquid. Dribbling down your pants.

Why do you continue to post such bullshit.

Aren't you missing your therapy hour.

Who The Fuck Cares What UOJ says? This mamzer ben nida who left his family to shtup a cheerleader and claim he's the only religious Jew.

Do his Depends leak too?

[critical_minyan]

I would never encourage a boycott, however, if one would boycott the OU, their soft spot is on the products that don't really need the hashgacha but get it anyway such as bottled water, soap etc.
These people pay OU for certification but get nothing in return except for good will.

[Archie Bunker]

"This mamzer ben nida who left his family to shtup a cheerleader and claim he's the only religious Jew."

Ok, so the brain damaged, foul mouthed troll is convinced that UOJ is F.M. from California which may or may not be the case. Calling him a mamzer in public is an onesh malkus and there are dozens of issurei Torah in smearing his wife.

[Archie Bunker]

UOJ's approach to stopping the OU has been to forward a file to food conglomerates on the OU's Belsky protecting child molesters and terrorizing community activists who try to stop the pedophiles.

[Anonymous]

THIS COMMENT HAS BEEN EDITED BY THE SITEOWNER.

Ok, so the brain damaged, foul mouthed troll is convinced that UOJ is F.M. from California which may or may not be the case. Calling him a mamzer in public is an onesh malkus and there are dozens of issurei Torah in smearing his wife.

Posted by: Archie Bunker

Is […]?

His children acknowledge it's their estranged father.

He's been traced and nailed.

More […]

[Jason]

Shmarya, I know you want to foster open debate here, but seriously, can't you ban this "anonymous" moron? He adds nothing to the conversation and violates pretty much all the rules for the blog. Whether on agrees with Archie or not, shouldn't there be at least a basic level of discourse required here?

For the record, I'm not offended by the language, but the fact that he is not even making any points. Am I alone here?

[Archie Bunker]

Shmarya may not like me considering all the arguments we have had, but now the troll is attacking UOJ and/or a private citizen Paul M. from the West Coast and his wife with libelous accusations.

[Anonymous]

THE FOLLOWING COMMENT HAS BEEN EDITED BY THE SITEOWNER:

Shmarya may not like me considering all the arguments we have had, but now the troll is attacking UOJ and/or a private citizen […] from the West Coast and his wife with libelous accusations.

Posted by: Archie Bunker

It's no libel […].

Libel is false.

[…]

Like Archie, UOJ has mastered a non-stop stream of verbal poop.

[…]

Funny that Archie who is so religious would side with a person who writes:

on THE VISHNITZER REBBE SHLITA:

“…..is one of the dumbest people I ever met….. Definitely one of the biggest SHMUCKS and STUPID ASSES I ever met….. I never will change my mind about the filthy scumbags at the helm of the chassidic businesses today.”

on RAV KADURI ZT”L:

“…..and only his lips were seen moving.That's about the only part of his body that still moves. The Alter Kaker fell asleep”

on RAV AHRON SCHECHTER SHLITA:

“Aron Schachter is as close to a retard you can be but still resemble a normal person. Fruchthandler does a great job covering for him. He bet on the wrong horse. Schachter is too busy smiling for the cameras, as that yeshiva goes to hell.”

on THE GERRE REBBE SHLITA:

"The Gerrer Rebbe is .... He is a sick, delusional idiot who deserves a good flogging. Hey, putz.. You behaima, stop taking whatever drugs you are on.... You make me sick, feh!"

Archie (and his […] friends) - this is your buddy UOJ. Now […]

[Jason]

Finally, some substance to go with the poop dripping comments.

[Archie Bunker]

I suspect that "anonymous" is the author of that attack blog against UOJ. That would be more proof that he is certifyably nuts.

I do not agree with everything UOJ says but he has saved lives and is a significant figure, not like the filthy mouthed dreg who slanders him and his wife.

[Archie Bunker]

Shmarya has finally deleted at least a portion of one of potty mouth's posts that slanders a fellow in the LA area and his wife. Why not delete the rest? It's certainly obvious to tens of thousands of people who potty mouth is referring to.

[sparky]

Just got back from the grocery store; the cashier said "they" brought in three more bus loads today. When will it end?!?!

[sage]

Hi Sparky,

I know it's hard to be patient, but the axe will fall down on Rubashkin when the time is right.

Just hang in there with the rest of us.

[Anonymous]

I suspect that "anonymous" is the author of that attack blog against UOJ. That would be more proof that he is certifyably nuts.

I do not agree with everything UOJ says but he has saved lives and is a significant figure, not like the filthy mouthed dreg who slanders him and his wife.

Posted by: Archie Bunker

You are such a genius.

First I was a Rubashkin, then a Lubav, now the author of the blog exposing UOJ.

Nice job in deleting the link Shmarya.

Are you afraid someone might go there and discover the truth?

[…]Edited by siteowner.