50-80 Somali workers quit at Swift plant last night

Update:  The number has risen to 150 quit or fired.   I know, it’s getting a little dizzying.

Here is more information on what the ruckus was about last night at Swift’s Grand Island, NE meatpacking plant.  A bunch of Somalis got boisterous and quit.  (No, not boisterous like the Greek Somalis!)   Hat tip:  Blulitespecial.

About 50 to 80 Muslims quit at the JBS Swift & Co. meatpacking plant Thursday night.

Dan Hoppes, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local No. 22, said the matter stems from the recent debate over break time for the purpose of prayer during the holy month of Ramadan.

“There were some Muslim people who wanted to get the rest of the people to back them to moving their (dinner) break to an earlier time, and when that did not happen, the rest of the people went back to work and those people protesting got loud and boisterous. It wasn’t a physical altercation at all,” Hoppes said.

But there was fear that it might get physical, so the police were called into the Swift plant about 9 p.m.

“By the time the police got there, it was settled down, and several of them went ahead and quit or left the plant,” Hoppes said. “They were told either go back to work or leave.

Great, now poor Grand Island will have 50-80 unemployed Somalis hanging around town.

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