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Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Responding to yesterday’s report about the arrest of the former chief executive of Agriprocessors Inc., and the report that Iowa Workforce Development is assessing AgriProcessors, Inc. (Postville, Ia.) fines totaling $10 million for “repeated violations of Iowa’s wage laws,” Jewish Community Action (JCA, St. Paul, Minn.), Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA, Chicago, Ill.) and St. Bridget Catholic Church (Postville, Ia.) call on AgriProcessors to take immediate action to improve working conditions at its meatpacking plant.
The events of the last several months—the raid, the allegations of worker abuse, and the recent arrest—underscore the need for fair, humane, federal immigration reform and improved working conditions for those who produce the food that feeds our nation.
Failure to improve working conditions would indicate AgriProcessors’ disregard for Jewish ethical standards, including just treatment of workers. Failure to improve plant conditions would also indicate disregard for widespread concerns voiced by consumers of kosher meat.
Both organizations also call on the federal government and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to halt raids on immigrants, and to adopt comprehensive immigration reform: “Raids devastate communities,” said Jane Ramsey, executive director of JCUA. “Members of Congress cannot wait until after the election to end raids; a moratorium is needed now,” said Vic Rosenthal, executive director of JCA.
In July 2008, JCA, JCUA and St. Bridget’s led a delegation of 1,000 people to Postville in order to show support for AgriProcessors workers and their families affected by immigration raids and by the challenging working conditions at the plant. JCA and JCUA continue to lead the upper Midwest Jewish community’s response to the crisis in Postville, by supporting affected families with more than $30,000 in monetary donations, calling on AgriProcessors to improve conditions, and calling on the federal government to halt immigration raids. St. Bridget’s continues to serve as the hub for all humanitarian and financial relief for those affected directly by the raid.
About Jewish Community Action
Jewish Community Action (JCA), a 501c3 based in St. Paul, Minn., brings Jews together with the broader community to work for positive social change. Since 1996, JCA has engaged in local grassroots initiatives to change the conditions that lead to poverty, racism and bias against immigrants. FFI: www.jewishcommunityaction.org.
About Jewish Council on Urban Affairs
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA), a 501c3 based in Chicago, Ill., combats poverty, racism and anti-Semitism alongside partners from Chicago's diverse communities. For more than 40 years, JCUA has brought a Jewish voice and Jewish community involvement to coalition building, advocacy and issues that affect Chicago's most at-risk communities. FFI: www.jcua.org.
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