Just gave owner who fired workers for going to March piece of my mind.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

Told him I would NOT be going to his restaurant because I thought that it was cruel to have fired them.

Apparently this is happening all accross the country.

I really have mixed feelings about the whole illegal immigrant things - I do hate the fact that a bunch of greedy business owner are paying people next to nothing for slave work - but it really boils my blood to hear about people being unfairly fired.

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060413/NEWS01/604130402/1075

Nine fired for going to rally
Others in local immigration march say jobs at risk

-snip-

At least nine Bonita Springs workers were fired and dozens more Southwest Floridians are reporting losing their jobs after marching in Monday's historic pro-immigration rally in Fort Myers.

-snip-

Immigrant Latin United of Florida, the Arcadia-based nonprofit that helped organize the march that brought together 75,000 people, has received as many as 35 calls from people from Southwest Florida seeking help after losing their jobs for missing work to attend the march.

"It seems very unfair to us that these people asked for one day to express themselves the only way they can, showing the power of their labor, and were treated this way," said Jose Rodriguez, secretary of the organization.

Charley Bohley, co-owner of Rodes Fresh & Fancy Restaurant and Lounge on Bonita Beach Road, terminated nine employees. He said his employees, some of whom had worked there for a few years, had been warned in a memo two days earlier when word spread of the march.

-snip-

[nini]

1. I want to know why he hired illegal immigrants in the first place.

isn't he being a bit hypocritical here?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

2. no kidding....

n/t

[BR_Parkway]

6. And why he isn't being prosecuted for it, there are laws against it

already.

[RagingInMiami]

7. How do you know they're illegal?

Just cause you're Hispanic and march for immigration rights doesn't mean you're in this country illegally.

[nini]

9. True.. but this implied it

"He (Bohley) was definitely justified," said Cheryl Rakoski, 34, from Estero. "They are here illegally and they shouldn't be here in the first place."

"I wouldn't be able to take off work and I'm here legally. I would have to get a day off. They shouldn't be allowed to not just show up to work without any consequences."



Not that this nutcase wouldn't be prejudiced against them either way.

[RagingInMiami]

12. It's not reallly clear who that woman is

It didn't say whether she worked at the restaurant. For all we know, she could have just been some woman dining at the restaurant or some random woman on the street. Some woman with her own assumptions but little facts.

[nini]

13. True again :-)

which is why I said she may just be a nutcase and had her own prejudices.

[lovuian]

3. This is terrible... I feel for this people

its a big wakeup call that these employers want laboreres who are obedient and cheap...what these people are learning there are always other immigrants to take their jobs... I'm proud of them for marching they showed America they are here and can protest for their rights... I'm proud of them...

The main thing here is these employers are employing cheap labor and abusing them...

[KurtNYC]

4. How do you fire someone you haven't technically hired?

Unless these were legals marching in support undocumenteds.

You can't actually put someone on the payroll and cut checks to them unless they have a SS#.

[maveric]

5. Assholes on Craigslist R&R are bragging about firing their landscapers,

Calling themselves "Patriots" for doing so.
Have fun doing your own yards dickheads!

[guinivere]

16. Yup. And I hope there are plenty of shrub roses

to be pruned and weeded under.

A legal Hispanic friend of mine wasn't going to attend any march or rally. She changed her mind saying she is sick to death of the "looks" she has been getting lately.

[wicket]

8. Did he admit to employing illegals?

n/t

[poverlay]

10. My neighbor is in construction and he just fired 11 hispanics

for no call no show, and I believe he did the right thing. Simply because, every job I've ever worked at, if you no call no show you get fired.
Doesn't matter if your "legal" or not. I don't know what their status was. Maybe this happened with Mr. Bohley. You can't run a business without employees no matter what the issue is...

[mitchtv]

20. he should be arrested , thrown in jail, business confiscated

people like him are encourageing illegality by breaking the law and hiring non residents. ( a quick solution to the problem)

[poverlay]

23. As I said, I don't know what their legal status was-so let's hold

off on the kneejerk lynching for now please...
The point was that these people broke the rules and paid for it the same way any other American would.

[MercutioATC]

11. They skipped work. Sounds like a reason to be fired.

He didn't say that he fired them for going to the march, he fired them for skipping work. A friend of mine fired an employee for skipping work to go to a local Bush appearance (and he's a Republican).

It's not a political/racist issue. It's an issue of absenteeism.

[mitchtv]

21. see post above yours

[PetraPooh]

14. On one of the earliest threads about the protests, a DU'er asked why

the anti-war protests didn't look (in size and number of places, etc) like the immigration protests. . .it because we would get fired taking off from work to do that. I don't think I should feel sorry for those who got fired until/unless my right to leave work for protests is protected. Welcome to USA! Land of almost freedom, except from your boss.

[RagingInMiami]

15. Yes, unlike the Mexicans

Native-born Americans are just so hard-working and devoted to their jobs.

[guinivere]

18. Very good point.

Like nobody ever has a hangover, needs a mental health day or just plain can't be bothered with work.

[PetraPooh]

19. Well, I guess yes, I do think US citizens tend to be

more fearful of loosing their jobs, to which is attached their benifits, and so much else attached to that income/job. Since many ILLEGAL immigrants don't have so much attached to their income; they don't tend to own their homes so they just have to worry about rental agreements, don't have their families signed up for health and life insurance, and so on. Also the illegal immigrants have already proven to themselves that they are willing to uproot their entire lives for a "cause," that takes a huge risk, so they are more aware that they will survive. Most average citizens do not have that experience to draw on. You mention Native born, but of those that were protesting I would still surmise that they have someone within a generation or two that is alive and discusses their trek to USA and all the risks and costs related to it.

And to the person that says they should have taken vacation or sick leave; I would guess if they had taken vacation leave with the proper announcement time, they were fine; whereas sick leave would have been a lie and grounds for dismissal.

[peacebaby3]

17. So did he fire them for attending the march or for not showing up for

work? Big difference.

BUT, in the article it says something about they were warned in a memo two days before when word was spreading about the march. So did they have vacation/personal days and he refused to let them take them on that day because he disagreed with the march? Of course, he also couldn't allow everyone to take the same day either unless he wanted to shut down for the day, but if they had personal time and wanted to take a day off it should be no problem unless the business owner has some kind of a legitimate circumstance why he couldn't give someone the day off.

FL is probably an "at will" state which means the employer can at any time get rid of you. Basically, workers have no rights. I haven't looked it up, but most states are "at will."

Legally, there is probably nothing these employees can do.

If they are illegal, someone should turn this employer in.

[El Zopilote]

22. Demand that employers be sued!

All employers and schools who fired workers or suspended students for taking off from work to attend pro-immigration demonstrations should be sued. These employers should be ordered to re-hire the workers and re-instate students and pay them compensatory and punitive damages.