Cargill Meat Solutions’ Muslims employees were fired over prayer schedule, the meat plant landed in hot water, and is now working on rehiring the 190 people to make the story go away. The Somali Muslims, who most have been at the company for over ten years, claimed that their bosses had always accommodated their prayer time, but after the Paris and San Bernadino attacks, they were told go home if they wanted to pray.
A group of Cargill Meat Solutions Muslim workers claimed that after ten years on the job, on Christmas Eve, they were more or less told they were not welcomed at the company. After the Council on American-Islamic Relations stepped in, the meat packing plant has decided to try to rehire the workers, and that decision has angered many Americans, who say religion should not be welcomed in the workplace.
On December 23, almost 200 Muslim workers – mainly from Somalia, packed their belongings and left the Cargill Meat Solutions plant in Fort Morgan, Colorado. According to the employees, management had always made it possible for them to have time to pray. However, the recent events in San Bernadino and Paris prompted their supervisors to make some drastic changes in the schedule, making it impossible to pray.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations spokesman Jaylani Hussein, who is currently negotiating with Cargill to get the nearly 200 jobs back, explained:
….depending on the season, the Muslim workers prayed at different times of the day. But a decision was made at the plant to change the practice.On Tuesday, Cargill fired most of the workers who walked out.
In a statement issued by the company spokesman Mike Martin, it was revealed that the employees were not fired because of the prayer drama, but because they refused to work on an assembly line and walked out. According to company policy, employees, who do not show up for work or call in for three consecutive days, will be let go.
Martin revealed that the meat plant has a prayer area, but only one or two can go at a time. Martin went on to say that Cargill Meat Solutions made every “reasonable attempt” to provide religious accommodation for all of its employees at the Fort Morgan plant without interrupting operations. Martin added:
“At no time did Cargill prevent people from prayer at Fort Morgan.Nor have we changed policies related to religious accommodation and attendance. This has been mischaracterized. This has been clearly communicated to all employees.”
Several thousands of workers including Somalis trim beef in manufacturing at Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan for about 14 dollars per hour. Hussein revealed why it is so important for Muslims to pray by saying:
“….the company’s policy changed recently. The workers were told: ‘If you want to pray, go home.’ “Many of the workers banded together and decided to walk off the job in an attempt to sway plant managers to reinstate a prayer schedule.They feel missing their prayer is worse than losing their job. It’s like losing a blessing from God.”
Cargill has a policy stating that workers, who are terminated, can not reapply for a position for six months, but Hussein, who is set to talk with the company next week, is hoping to solve the matter as soon as possible. The Cargill Meat Solutions’ Muslims fiasco has many asking, why is the company giving the workers so much religious freedom?
One person said: “They should stay home and pray for new jobs – they will need all of Allah’s help.” Moreover, another claimed “that they should go to a Muslim country if they have so many crazy religious demands, this is America for God’s sake, when you are hired for a job, you do the job and stop bitching about it.”
Where in USA or different country workers are praying during work hours? Nowhere!
They have to go home and pray or go to church to pray.Job is a JOB.They are unresponsibly.Laid off them.No appreciating for good job and not respecting Company Policy.
A Lot of people will respect Company Policy and kiss hands for $14 /hr.We have good USA citizens which looking for good job and pay.Muslims do not have appreciation for $14/hr.They can go to Muslim country and work like this.Religion is not # 1 in the Company.Religion is individual chose.They had religious freedom.Who are they?Pain in the neck.Company must keep disciplines.
Muslim people they will not play with our USA people.We have a lot of experiences
in the Word with ugly Muslim.We can not live in peace now each day is scary.
Sthu you insensitive winch. If the company wants to hire 190 Muslim workers, than they should allow them the freedom to pray once or twice per day during their work shift. They can simply tack on an extra 30 minutes to their work day and allow them 2 extra unpaid 15 minute breaks for praying. It’s called compromise. This is the land of the free and the land of opportunities after all. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Rhonda shut up, you sub-human Leftist, oppressive, Communistic piece of trash. You’re low-life garbage.
Wow, Fuk.
Way to make an articulate case! You make conservatives look like idiots and thankfully we’re not.
Why Hire Muslims ??? When we have American citizens like Blacks with 15 to 20 % UNEMPLOYMENT ????Is insane what Democrats are doing..
“”We have a lot of experiences
in the Word with ugly Muslim.We can not live in peace now each day is scary.””
Do you hear yourself? You are a bigot. Stfu. Religious freedom is for any religion, not just the ones you see as “normal” or don’t have any specific prayer times during the days.
If you listened to the news report, they mentioned that they WERE given prayer time as a PART of the company policy, but as a result of influence by terrorist attacks, among other things, they were then told to “go home” to pray.
Haley, if you would read on and not just the manipulated top of the article, you’d actually get the whole and correct picture. They just couldn’t have more than 2 go to prayer at the same time because it’s assembly line work. That didn’t suit these workers, they banded together and left the job. According to contract after no show/no call for 3 days they were fired. This company has accommodated or tried to please all religious needs of workers, but they have to keep production going. They did more than they had to to start with!!! Where would production of any company be if all employees were catered to individually??? This company has been without 190 workers for over a week!! Others have to work extra probably to keep things moving. And I don’t make $14 an hour though I’m a very educated, professional with over 35 yrs. experience who has worked at the same publisher as right hand of the boss for 13 years. And these folks walk out of their job???? You need to get real!!!
It’s difficult to understand why a company would make such accommodations for prayers. That is precisely how things begin to unfold and create problems.
Actually, the law in the U.S. is clear and if a lawsuit is brought against Cargill for discrimination in the workplace, Cargill will lose. All businesses must make reasonable efforts to accommodate religious activities. I work in a large office. Some of my fellow Christians and myself enjoy a conference room twice a week for bible study. Our Muslim brothers enjoy the same conference room for daily prayers. We get along, we talk and we even discuss our individual beliefs to each other. No fighting, bigotry or hatred from either side. It is a very nice mix of cultures (I also have a couple of Hindu friends at work also). You might want to work on your spelling and grammar also. Nothing is more offensive than “good ‘Mericans” who reply with third grade communication skills.
If I wanted time out of work to read the Bible or pray to Jesus, I’d be told the same thing. What makes them different?
The difference is that your religion is already given a lot of privilege. Its printed on the money and forced into children’s heads in the pledge of allegiance, and not only that, but you are a majority, if enough of you wanted time to pray during work, you could EASILY get it.
And in their religion it is permitted to pray 5 times a day during certain times.
You are incredibly wrong Muslims are the largest religious group in the world. Additionally ZERO Christians, Jews or any other religious group would be given ANY time during a company’s work schedule to pray 5 times a day! The company would tell you to pray on your lunch break or go find another job. End of story! You’re fooling yourself to think differently.
Haley, you’ve been drinking the leftist koolaide far too long. What you said just is not true, except in the psycho world of the left wing and the atheists.
I think we are only complicating the issue as a society by defining it as “prayer”. Laws regarding breaks at work ought to be neutral. It really makes no difference to the employer whether someone prays, spends extra time in the bathroom stall, makes a phone call to a friend, or watches birds in the sky above the company parking lot.
Why do we care WHAT people are doing? They are not working. Period. It should be both irrelevant and illegal to decide, control, and check WHAT people are doing on their breaks (of course, excluding activities that conflict with company values, safety, or costs, such as anything criminal, or using too much of company resources).
I agree wholeheartedly with this here. Seriously, an average full time job gets 2-3 breaks a day. They can’t pray then?
It blows my mind how theses Somalian Muslims were able to get away with putting on this religious parade for ten years in a work environment.
These Muslims came to this country expecting religious freedom, and guess what? They got it. But now they are overstepping their bounds and causing kayos. It is not our fault they didn’t do their research before coming here.
Dangs! Ain’t nuthin’ in the good ol’ US o’ A that guarantees y’all breaks from works fer prayers! Most Cristians don’t git that anyhow. And they tha majorty! Y’all jes’ like less than 10 mil. outta over 300 mil. an’ yall thank ya got somethin’ comin’ ta ya??
Git clued in raght here ‘n now…this aint Moogiedishes!
ITS CALLED WORKING NOT TALKING TO FAIRY TALES!
This garbage goes on wherever these Moose-limbs screw around, they are a royal pain in the a$$ in Minnesota. We have a governor (Dayton) that wants to import more to suck up to Obumer and screw over the stupid democraps that elected him. I wish that all these do-gooders that what to kiss bleeding hearts a$$es would use their own lips. We can’t have religion or CSA symbols in government or CSA symbols than why do we have to put up with Muslim garbage at work!
Is there some reason Muslims can’t use their breaks and lunch to pray? That would provide 3 times during work hours not to mention before and after work. I’m a Christ follower and I have had to do that in the past when I had 9 to 5 jobs. Why can’t they make good use of the breaks they already have? Can’t your god hear you any time from anywhere?
Muslims have to pray 5 times a day at certain times in the day. Lunch breaks usually won’t cover these times, plus as you’re Christian, the rules of Islam are different in some aspects and certain things that work for you don’t work for them.
It is called work for a reason. You get lunch breaks and other breaks. The company says when those breaks are generally not the employees. If the company can accommodate them, fine. If not then they are not the right fit for the company. This is America. No other religious group demands or expects to get prayer time whenever they feel like it. And it is not discriminatory since no other group gets extra breaks for prayer. This is America. We are not governed by Sharia law. At least not yet. Let them know when they apply for the job what is required and if they can not do the work at the times needed, then they should not be hired to begin with.
Also, Elizabeth, with a 9-5 job, don’t you get Sunday off to pray?
I have Muslim coworkers and it is unfortunate that they have more rights and freedoms than Christians. They also get to leave the job or use certain rooms in the building and other so-called Christians are enforcing this and letting this go on. “The Nation that forgets God shall be turned into Hell!”
If you really want some concise info on Islam and muslims read James Clavell,s “Whirlwind” It will give you and idea what these single minded a**holes have mind for our America. You cannot reason with the Islamic mindset. If we don’t go their way they must kill us. As for working on a assembly line; that is not even in their way of doing anything. They can just walk away from anything for the religion or if they just feel like it
Just throwing this out there- several of the companies I have worked for allowed for employees to take multiple smoke breaks per day. Why is prayer different?
Smoke breaks? Are you serious Amy? Where/Who in the hell allows you to even smoke on their property anymore?
None should be allowed back on the Company’s property. I’m all for allowing for prayer but, on breaks & lunch, their time, not Co. time.
I am neither Christian nor Muslim. I do however find it disturbing the amount of religious persecution Muslims receive in this so called free country. The founding fathers of this country understood the concept of freedom of religion. Many people fled here from Europe to escape religious persecution, yet it seems their own descendants were not taught to respect a person’s right to freedom. This is no longer a country of slaves, the people have a right to take breaks, take a lunch, or use that time to pray to their chosen faith, without persecution. Come on people. We are all working class. Learn to love one another. Be flexible.
Very well said Lara. It’s time to put our foot down on these clowns.
All people, if necessary should be allowed a flexible lunch, break schedule in order to accommodate their religion. I was given a flexible break, lunch schedule to accommodate me while I was nursing my children. What is the difference? Come in early, leave late. Pray at the time designated by your religion. As long as you give the company their full hours, it should be ok to flex your personal time.
obviously you are young and naive and don’t have a clue about how life and work really works. this is an assembly line, a factory … you can’t shut that down to accommodate something like this. it would ruin the profits of the company, and the individuals on a bonus/performance plan.
Muslims are trash, they are a cult and should be outlawed. Filthy disgusting animals.
All the more reason to eat Kosher. I don’t want Muslims handling my food.
These are the things that you get for allowing religion into the workplace in the first place. You know that all of them are not muslims, so why do you support a special treatment for them? THAT is discrimination against all others. Imagine now that the buddhists guys want to do their rites, the orthodox jews, the santeros, the satanists… Which religion is better than which one? Who has “religious priority” when everybody asks for their space after watching that some were allowed to have theirs? You do things for everybody, or fo no one. That is how democracies work. Not with favoritisms.
“Cargill Meat Solutions”? Is this where the add the hormones to your juicy steaks? The adrenaline overdose? The nitrates and nitrites? The steroids? The coloring? Maybe those guys want to pray for the consumers!
Hey Rollo: The typical Somalian would be happy to have meat whether it had hormones or not. Somalia is a STARVING country that still hasn’t figured out basic agricultural techniques (DUMB PEOPLE).
I think the workers are just stirring the pot a bit. I’m sure they can find time during their breaks, restroom breaks, lunch, parking lot before they leave or wait and pray extra when they go home. Go be a monk if you want to pray more than that. Just saying where there is a want there is a way Americans ask our God to make a way when it doesn’t seem there is a way. God always makes a way. May not be our way but his. 5 times a day is not much. Christians can pray without ceasing we don’t have to be on our knees to talk to our Heavenly Father. Its not a requirement. It’s good to be a Christian in the greatest place on earth.
Way to go. We are a country that was made of many different ethnic groups and religions who came over to build a free society, a productive society and not impose their way on others. Muslims come here and demand all kinds of concessions. Why don’t they just stay in their country where they can pray as much as they want and not come here and impose their ways on the way we operate.
That is because it is the silent takeover. They want to do here what they have been doing in Europe. Let us not allow it. Kudos to Cargill who put their foot down.
They weren’t fired because they wanted to pray. They were fired because they walked out on their job. They shouldn’t be re-hired, period! I am sick of the double standards in this country. Freedom of religion doesn’t mean you have the right to push your religion on others. No company should accommodate someone’s religious demands. You are there to do a job, you are getting paid to do that job.
That is your priority! If not, find another job!
These people were imported by our government a number of years ago under the umbrella of them being asylum seekers. Their wages are subsidized by the US Government as is their housing. They are allowed to drive automobiles and make the streets of Fort Morgan unsafe for other drivers. As pedestrians they are a nuisance as they have no respect for traffic. They will walk out in front of approaching vehicles without a thought and also take their sweet time crossing the street. Their presence in town is quite inconvenient. Many longtime residents feel that the Somalians are an imposition on the town and are resentful of the favoritism being shown them. And now the Somalis are trying to impose Muslim practices on the largest employer in town. None of the other employees are allowed to drag Cargill around by the nose in this manner. It seems that the Somalis have forgotten that they are guests in America and are here because of our generosity.