Plants prepare for employee absences

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BY ART HOVEY / Lincoln Journal Star

Nebraska meatpackers who employ thousands of minority workers appear to be making some allowances for rallies planned Monday in Omaha and Lincoln to call attention to immigration reform.

The rallies connect to congressional debate over measures as extreme as deporting millions of undocumented employees and to similar demonstrations of worker unity in Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities.

At a Friday press conference at Lincoln’s Hispanic Community Center, Executive Director Carmela Sanchez de Jimenez spoke approvingly of Tyson’s decision to make some adjustments and less approvingly of other companies who may be considering a harder line.

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(LJS File)

(LJS File)

“There is no reason for otherwise very dedicated, hard-working employees to be reprimanded for participating in such an event, a one-time event,” she said.

Those organizing the Lincoln rally laid out an agenda earlier this week that calls for participants to begin assembling at Cooper Park, Sixth and D Streets, at 9 a.m. for walk beginning at 10 a.m. to the west side of the State Capitol.

After hearing speakers there, the marchers will continue to the Federal Building, 100 Centennial Mall North, for a second stop in the rally.

Efforts to determine the stance of individual companies toward worker participation met with limited success Friday.

Tyson, which operates plants in several Nebraska cities including Madison and Lexington, offered the most accommodating strategy in a statement released from corporate headquarters in Springdale, Ark.

“We at Tyson support comprehensive immigration reform and our Team Members’ right to express themselves on this important matter,” the statement said.

The company called on its employees to ask for time off or to convey their support in writing.

Smithfield, which operates a Farmland plant south of Crete, declined to reveal any advice it may be offering hundreds of workers there.

“Smithfield Foods has a policy of not commenting on daily operations, minor disruptions, openings and closings at processing plants,” the statement said. “If developments occur that materially affect operations, the company will issue a press release.”

At least in terms of public disclosure, the outlook appeared equally unclear for meatpacking workers at Cargill plants in Schuyler and Nebraska City.

Cargill spokesman Mark Klein said from Minneapolis that he didn’t know anything about what may or may not happen Monday. “I haven’t heard that there are going to be any absences,” he said.

Checks with the Hispanic Community Center and other minority advocates in Lincoln and Omaha suggested that some plants were taking the day off or polling workers about their preferences.

Oscar Rios Pohirieth, chairman of the board at the Lincoln Hispanic Center, said some employers were “very supportive,” and others, “to a certain extent, are making threats.”

Rios, Sanchez and Pablo Cervantes, the board’s vice president, all declined to point the finger at any specific companies.

Sanchez was concentrating on matters where she had more influence, calling for “an orderly, peaceful rally” and “most of all, that people be respectful. It’s all about having a voice, having a presence, not about protest.”

Others, including Lincoln Latino advocate Marty Ramirez, weren’t quite as diplomatic.

Ramirez said what happens Monday will make a statement about both demographics and economics.

“Now, if you have a meatpacker and they choose to be a hard ass about it and say you’re going to be fired, do they realize what that will do to their economics tomorrow?”

As he sees it, employers in a punitive frame of mind “are taking a big gamble.” Those being more flexible “are making a smart economic move. It’s a win-win for them.”

Longtime Lincoln attorney Carlos Monzon said he was telling people calling his office for advice to ask for time off from work.

“Individuals who want to participate in this political speech cannot be treated differently than if Mr. Smith wants to go to the Easter bunny parade.”

Milo Mumgaard of the Lincoln-based Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest pointed out that Tyson and many other meatpacking companies favor more moderate immigration strategies because they help them meet their labor needs.

“Tyson is an entity that does think about its self interest,” Mumgaard said. “This is good relations for them.”

The Lincoln Public Schools are also preparing for absences on Monday from among some 500 students of Latino descent and from other supportive students.

“Actually, we don’t see what’s going to happen on Monday as much different than students whose families are allowing them to go to a lot of different activities like, say, a state basketball tournament,” said Becky Wild, director of student services.

As usual, parents are expected to call in beforehand about any absences.

Sanchez called on participants to car-pool, bring water and American flags and wear white to show unity.

She had no thoughts on numbers of participants as a standard for success.

“We have nothing to go by,” she said. “This is an unprecedented event.”

Rios said no matter if there are five people, 1,500 or more, “the fact that they are there is meaningful for every individual. It is meaningful to me.”

Reach Art Hovey at (402) 523-4949 or ahovey@alltel.net.