In response to Iowa Governor Chet Culver's criticism of Agriprocessors, the company has invited Governor Culver to tour Agriprocessors.
I think the Governor should consider accepting, with these caveats:
1. He'll arrive anytime he wants to on any day he wants to with no prior notice.
2. He'll come with state health, safety and EEOC specialists.
3. He'll meet off-site with current and former workers in a way that guarantees their privacy.
4. He will personally follow up on every employee he talks with, checking with them for at least the remained of his term to make sure they are not retaliated against by Agriprocessors.
5. He will meet with St. Bridget's staff, as well.
6. He will bring press with him, including but not limited to reporters from the Des Moines Register, WCF Courier, and other Iowa papers, Jeff Abbas from Postville Radio, Nathaniel Popper of the Forward, Ben Harris of the JTA.and a videographer. That video will be released to the public domain after workers' identities are masked.
Agriprocessors wants to do another 3 hour staged tour, a Potemkin Village affair like the rabbis tour last month or the lieutenant-governor's tour when she was Secretary of Iowa's Department of Agriculture in 2004. She took $10,000 in campaign donations from Sholom M. Rubashkin and his wife Leah shortly afterward.
If the governor agrees to another staged tour, you'll know my concerns about him were well founded.