Tyson Plant Drops Labor Day for Muslim Holiday

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 1:53 pm

I can understand adding a holiday, but why take Labor Day away??

Tuesday , August 05, 2008

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. —

Workers at a Tyson Foods poultry processing plant in Tennessee have opted to trade a paid Labor Day holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

A 5-year contract approved by members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union at the Shelbyville, Tenn., plant last November includes the change to accommodate Muslim workers.

"The negotiating committee made the holiday a top priority in contract talks," the union's Alabama and Mid-South Council Representative Randy Hadley said in a statement issued in June. "And we were able to get management to commit to it."

The change, which does not affect the company's 118 other plants, exchanges Labor Day for the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. The new contract, negotiated last fall, also gives Muslim workers a prayer room.

"Eid al-Fitr is one of eight paid holidays for all team members covered by the contract, while Labor Day is not a paid holiday," Gary Mickelson, Tyson's media relations director, told the Shelbyville Times-Gazette.

But Tyson spokeswoman Libby Lawson told FOXNews.com that employees who are not a member of the union at that plant would still be eligible for Labor Day as a paid holiday.

The seven additional paid holidays are the employee's birthday, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mickelson said.

"Given the nature of our work, many, many, many times we have to work holidays anyway, and Labor Day is usually one of those holidays that our workers have to work," Lawson said. "And, of course, they are paid holiday pay when they have to work any holiday that is recognized at our facility."

Tyson officials said that approximately 250 of the plant's 1,200 employees are Somalis who entered the United States as political refugees. Most, if not all, are believed to be Muslim — among them, Abdillahi Jama.

"This new contract is good because it allows me to work on the second shift and still pray when I need to," Jama said in the union's press release. "It’s very important to us, and the Eid is one of our most sacred holidays. It shows how the union helps us."

Lawson said that the Shelbyville plant is one of a handful that have designated prayer areas that can be used by groups of all faiths.

News of the holiday change has prompted some anger on local Web message boards, with some writings urging readers to contact the AFL-CIO and boycott Tyson products.

The union's national president, Stuart Appelbaum, said it is the union's job "to stand up to win respect for every worker's right to practice their faith."

Tyson officials said the contract was agreed to by 80 percent of the union's 1,000 members at the plant.

This year Eid al-Fitr falls on Oct. 1.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:55 pm

Accountable;943388 wrote: I can understand adding a holiday, but why take Labor Day away??Tuesday , August 05, 2008

SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. —

Workers at a Tyson Foods poultry processing plant in Tennessee have opted to trade a paid Labor Day holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.

A 5-year contract approved by members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union at the Shelbyville, Tenn., plant last November includes the change to accommodate Muslim workers.

"The negotiating committee made the holiday a top priority in contract talks," the union's Alabama and Mid-South Council Representative Randy Hadley said in a statement issued in June. "And we were able to get management to commit to it."

The change, which does not affect the company's 118 other plants, exchanges Labor Day for the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. The new contract, negotiated last fall, also gives Muslim workers a prayer room.

"Eid al-Fitr is one of eight paid holidays for all team members covered by the contract, while Labor Day is not a paid holiday," Gary Mickelson, Tyson's media relations director, told the Shelbyville Times-Gazette.

But Tyson spokeswoman Libby Lawson told FOXNews.com that employees who are not a member of the union at that plant would still be eligible for Labor Day as a paid holiday.

The seven additional paid holidays are the employee's birthday, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mickelson said.

"Given the nature of our work, many, many, many times we have to work holidays anyway, and Labor Day is usually one of those holidays that our workers have to work," Lawson said. "And, of course, they are paid holiday pay when they have to work any holiday that is recognized at our facility."

Tyson officials said that approximately 250 of the plant's 1,200 employees are Somalis who entered the United States as political refugees. Most, if not all, are believed to be Muslim — among them, Abdillahi Jama.

"This new contract is good because it allows me to work on the second shift and still pray when I need to," Jama said in the union's press release. "It’s very important to us, and the Eid is one of our most sacred holidays. It shows how the union helps us."

Lawson said that the Shelbyville plant is one of a handful that have designated prayer areas that can be used by groups of all faiths.

News of the holiday change has prompted some anger on local Web message boards, with some writings urging readers to contact the AFL-CIO and boycott Tyson products.

The union's national president, Stuart Appelbaum, said it is the union's job "to stand up to win respect for every worker's right to practice their faith."

Tyson officials said the contract was agreed to by 80 percent of the union's 1,000 members at the plant.

This year Eid al-Fitr falls on Oct. 1.

Does Tyson happen to process pork?

suzy_creamcheese · Post by **suzy_creamcheese** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 2:59 pm

so thats good right. They now get a paid holiday instead of an unpaid one

win/win

Post by **spot** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:01 pm

suzy_creamcheese;943490 wrote: so thats good right. They now get a paid holiday instead of an unpaid one

win/win

No, they get the same number of paid holidays as they had before the agreement.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:06 pm

Fair do's - if only 250 are Muslim then at least 500 non-Muslims must have voted for it as well.

They get double pay for working a normal day and the Muslims get the right to observe their sacred day (In Leicester it's usually Eid Al Mubarak but it is normal just to call it Eid).

Who is harmed by this?

along-for-the-ride · Post by **along-for-the-ride** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:26 pm

Lon;943481 wrote: Does Tyson happen to process pork?

Tyson processes poultry. They are one of my company's competitors. :yh_chickn

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:32 pm

When our kids were in school the School Board decided to drop Veteran's Day for Martin Luther King Day. This old sailor waged war and won.

If the employer is willing to allow an additional holiday then so be it. Taking away a national holiday like Labor Day to give a group of any size within a work force a different holiday shouldn't happen. What happens when it's the 4th of July or Thanksgiving exchanged for a majority of the work force's desire to celebrate their religeous holiday?

RedGlitter · Post by **RedGlitter** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:37 pm

I've been vacillating between yes and no on this one today and I tend to agree with Clint.

Post by **spot** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:40 pm

Clint;943712 wrote: If the employer is willing to allow an additional holiday then so be it. Taking away a national holiday like Labor Day to give a group of any size within a work force a different holiday shouldn't happen. What happens when it's the 4th of July or Thanksgiving exchanged for a majority of the work force's desire to celebrate their religeous holiday?

Patriotism loses out. I'm all in favour of patriotism losing out.

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 8:46 pm

spot;943717 wrote: Patriotism loses out. I'm all in favour of patriotism losing out.
Just for the sake of making patriotism lose? Is patriotism bad?

Post by **spot** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:02 pm

Clint;943724 wrote: Just for the sake of making patriotism lose? Is patriotism bad?

Yes, yes.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:58 am

History, tradition, honoring the past. Yeh I can see how all that just leads to chaos and blood in the streets.

Clint is right.

Labor Day is not a patriotic holiday, so it doesn't fit your hate for the patriotism that protects your lifestyle, spot. Labor Day is a traditional holiday and should be kept. If the employer wants to grant an additional holiday, fine. If one holiday must go, I vote for the employee's birthday.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:12 am

Accountable;943880 wrote: History, tradition, honoring the past. Yeh I can see how all that just leads to chaos and blood in the streets.

Clint is right.

Labor Day is not a patriotic holiday, so it doesn't fit your hate for the patriotism that protects your lifestyle, spot. Labor Day is a traditional holiday and should be kept. If the employer wants to grant an additional holiday, fine. If one holiday must go, I vote for the employee's birthday.

Wasn't Spot referring to July 4th, not Labor Day?

The patriotism of Americans for America does not protect my lifestyle and I doubt very much whether it protects Spots.

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 10:41 am

Bryn Mawr;944340 wrote: Wasn't Spot referring to July 4th, not Labor Day?

The patriotism of Americans for America does not protect my lifestyle and I doubt very much whether it protects Spots.
Yes he was, so I addressed that and brought it back on subject, or tried. I don't know all your holidays, and it doesn't really matter. Pick one. If inclusion and harmony is the goal, wouldn't it be better to keep traditional holidays and add one rather than sacrifice an old tradition? Wouldn't that make the "new guys" more welcome?

suzy_creamcheese · Post by **suzy_creamcheese** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 1:04 pm

Clint;943724 wrote: Just for the sake of making patriotism lose? Is patriotism bad?

not bad, but a bit pointless

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 5:36 am

Jester;946892 wrote: You know what bugs me the most about this is that its a typical union ploy to mess with a major manufacturer... this isnt about trying to get a holiday for 250 somali workers, its about w power play by the union to demonstrate to Tyson that they have the power to make the consumers very unhappy with them if they want to. Typical union politics...
Typical? I've never heard of such a ploy before. This is the way it should have come out in the first place, and shows ya don't need gov't or lawsuits to set things right.

Post by **Bryn Mawr** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 3:06 pm

Accountable;944385 wrote: Yes he was, so I addressed that and brought it back on subject, or tried. I don't know all your holidays, and it doesn't really matter. Pick one. If inclusion and harmony is the goal, wouldn't it be better to keep traditional holidays and add one rather than sacrifice an old tradition? Wouldn't that make the "new guys" more welcome?

Hm - you cannot bring it back on subject by changing July 4th to Labor Day and then berate him for Labor Day not being a patriotic holiday.

As I said in a previous post, if'n'as there are 250 incomers in a workforce of 1200 then a significant number of the existing workforce must have wanted the change as well - that's inclusion and harmony, not being rigid in sticking to tradition.

Clint · Post by **Clint** » Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:49 pm

Jester;947900 wrote: Ive been doing union plant production studies on projects I contract with. Its a very interesting dynamic when I recommend a change in a union plant, what happens is a series of meetings between the union and the shop stewards/ management, the result is a 're-wording' of my recommendation, its the exact same thing, it just has thier own words not mine... Never has a union yet taken my recommendation without rewording it. Now I could see them throwing a problem up if the recommendation violated some aspect of thier union laws, but so far none have...

Its a simple powerplay, they must be seen as in charge of all plant operational changes.

I appreciate the non legal approach but, to me this is somethign that was a waste of time and energy, the entire plant personnel had the option of using thier personal day for any special day they chose.

I've seen contracts that basically reworded the existing personnel policy and the FLSA requirements. The nice thing is that the Buisiness Agent gets a job this way.:-5

Post by **spot** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 5:23 pm

Jester;950499 wrote: They used the public outcry of this muslum ploy to do thier work for them and it did worked.

Out of interest, if I referred consistently to the crustian saviour as jesus crust would you find it at least slightly annoying?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:43 am

Jester, try to be more sensitive. You know how religious spot is.

spot;909385 wrote: Before you ask, yes I am a Christian.

Post by **spot** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:08 am

Jester;954609 wrote: Wow I was under the impression he just liked 'christian' principles but didn't believe there was a God?

:-3

There is no God, that's a perfectly Christian point of view. It's all a matter of vocabulary. If someone puts forward a description of God which includes omnipotence or omniscience then I'm entitled to laugh at the fable they've constructed and say there's no such being, it doesn't mean I've no use for the word myself, I can discuss the nature of God if you feel inclined but it would be describing someone entirely powerless. I'm a consistent lifelong Christian with my roots firmly in Christianity, the experiences of earlier writers on the faith back in the 16th century, for example, to say nothing of the 20th, match my own far too closely for them to be described as coincidental and the language they developed is the language I use. The notion that the bible contains only real events from history is blasphemous idolatry, in my opinion, but I've never held it against you when we've discussed matters.

Post by **spot** » Sat Aug 16, 2008 11:36 am

Jester;954637 wrote: I'm sure its a conspiracy of some type... if you look back far enough I'm certain you will find some small unanswered question that puts your entire view of the facts askew.

I have the inestimable advantage of not thinking I know all the answers.