In May, I had an arbitration involving a large turkey processing plant. Four workers were fired for refusing to go to work until they were paid
more. None spoke English. They testified in Spanish with an interpreter.
They broke the rules; I upheld their terminations. But their
complaint has stuck in my mind.
Going out in teams of 8 workers per truck, they loaded about
6,000 turkeys per night from 8:30 p.m. till 5:00 a.m. Each turkey weighed about
40 pounds. The workers alternated between chasing turkeys into a chute and manning the
top of the conveyor, where they quickly lifted the birds into cages, closed the
door, and waited for the incoming turkey.
If these workers were unlawfully in the U.S., they may be
among the 2-3 million scheduled for imminent deportation. If these workers are
lawfully in the U.S., their family members might be deported.
Here is my question: In the southern Indiana county that voted
70% for Trump, how many white workers will fill their jobs at $11 per hour?
Here’s hoping that if that foreign workforce is sent packing, the unemployed whites along the roads where I passed confederate flags head on down to the plant and apply for this work.
Here’s hoping that if that foreign workforce is sent packing, the unemployed whites along the roads where I passed confederate flags head on down to the plant and apply for this work.
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