Widespread work stoppage by Alabama Hispanics to protest state immigration law

[pampango]

Poultry plants, other businesses affected by Hispanic protests of Alabama immigration law

At least a half-dozen poultry plants shut down or scaled back operations Wednesday and many other businesses closed as Hispanics in Alabama skipped work to protest the state’s toughest-in-the-nation immigration law.

The work stoppage was aimed at demonstrating the economic contribution of Alabama’s Hispanic immigrants. It was unclear exactly how widespread the protests were, but a poultry company spokesman said officials were reporting unusually high absences at plants in northeast Alabama, where much of the state’s chicken industry is based.

Republican supporters say Alabama’s strict new immigration law was intended to force illegal workers out of jobs and help legal residents find work in a state suffering from high unemployment.

Not far from Contreras’ businesses, the parking lot was virtually empty at a Wayne Farms poultry plant that employs about 850 people. Company spokesman Frank Singleton said other plants were also reporting unusually high absences.

“We know it’s related to the immigration law. I don’t think it’s going to be just today,” he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/poultry-plants-other-businesses-affected-by-hispanic-protests-of-alabama-immigration-law/2011/10/12/gIQALlCGfL_story.html

[coalition_unwilling]

1. Huelga General (General Strike) - n/t

[EFerrari]

2. Kick

[Romulox]

3. Cheap labor is not a right. nt

[pampango]

4. Workers are protesting, not employers. n/t

[Romulox]

5. Employers have been howling about this, too. Many threads on DU with angry farmers

demanding cheap field hands, like it was a right.

Pay a living wage. :hi:

[pampango]

6. Agree. Employers have no right to exploitalbe labor.

And Hispanics deserve to be treated as fairly as Blacks, whites or anyone else - no presumption of guilt by shared ethnicity.