Immigration Protests hit NC

Submitted by TarGator on Mon, 04/10/2006 - 12:40pm

About 100 people joined a cross-state march for immigrant rights, while hundreds of Latinos prepared to skip work or boycott all purchases on Monday as part of immigrant rights demonstrations being staged nationwide.

From NBC 17.
The protesters are making their way to Raleigh on Friday:

The march, demanding fair treatment for migrant workers in North Carolina, started in Lenoir and was to pass through Siler City, Durham and other communities before its culmination Friday in Raleigh.

Of course, Tyson foods, a large employer of low paid immigrants, supports the march, so long as you "check with your supervisor":

Tyson Foods, which has 11 centers in North Carolina, said in a statement that it supported workers attending rallies but asked that they first check with their supervisors.

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tyson should get credit

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 04/10/2006 - 1:14pm.

I actually think that's good news to hear from Tyson Foods. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to know who will be gone from work. And I bet Tyson Foods supports the immigrants' cause. If not, they wouldn't have a labor force!

There were a few other mfg co's that allowed

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Mon, 04/10/2006 - 1:22pm.

the day from work for people to march. There was a furniture mfg in SC that gave the day if they needed it and one other. I was pretty amazed to hear it. That's better than any employer saying, "miss the day and you're fired."



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Chicken Pickin'

Submitted by Robert P. on Mon, 04/10/2006 - 1:23pm.

One of the world's largest chicken producers, which is a key supplier to McDonald's, is on trial in Tennessee accused of conspiracy to import illegal workers, mainly from Mexico, to work at its plants throughout America.

"This trial is about corporate greed," said the prosecuting lawyer, John MacCoon, in his opening remarks at the trial in Chattanooga of Tyson Foods.

The prosecution claims that Tyson, which has a turnover of $23bn (£14bn), brought illegal workers into the country who could be paid low wages, would not receive sickness or injury benefits, and could be sacked without compensation.
....
The meat processing industry is one of the most hazardous jobs in the US and firms have consequently had difficulty recruiting at wages of about $8 an hour, according to Greg Denier, of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.

"They are a disposable workforce," said Mr Denier. "Fingers and arms can get cut off and they get repetitive strain injury."

Most illegally recruited workers have no idea that a company is obliged to compensate them if they are injured on the job.

"Lacerations are the most common injuries suffered by meatpackers, who often stab themselves or stab someone nearby," wrote Eric Schlosser in his book Fast Food Nation.

"Although official statistics are not kept, the death rate among slaughterhouse sanitation crews is extraordinarily high. They are the ultimate in disposable workers: illegal, illiterate, impoverished, untrained. The nation's worst job can end in just about the worst way - sometimes these workers are literally ground up and reduced to nothing."

© Guardian Newspapers Limited

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