Responding to pressure from consumers around the country as well as its own staff, Tyson Foods has reversed its decision to allow Muslim employees to take a religious day off instead of the federal holiday of Labor Day.
As NewsBusters reported Sunday, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) had recently announced this as part of a new negotiated contract with Tyson employees at its Shelbyville, Tennessee, plant.
However, as the New York Times reported Tuesday, the company came under a lot of pressure from angry consumers following this announcement, and on Friday issued the following press release (h/t NBer SickofLibs, photo courtesy NYSE):
August 8, 2008 - Tyson Foods, Inc. announced today it has reached a new agreement with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU), an American union, reinstating Labor Day as one of the designated paid holidays under the contract for covered employees in the Shelbyville, Tennessee, plant.
Tyson made this request on behalf of its Shelbyville plant employees, some of whom had expressed concern about the new contract provisions relative to paid holidays. In an effort to be responsive, Tyson asked the union to reopen the contract to address the holiday issue, and the union agreed to do so. The union membership voted overwhelmingly Thursday to reinstate Labor Day as one of the plant’s paid holidays, while keeping Eid al-Fitr as an additional paid holiday for this year only. This means that in 2008 only, Shelbyville employees will have nine paid holidays.
For the remainder of the five-year contract period, the eight paid holidays will include: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and a Personal Holiday, which could either be the employee’s birthday, Eid al-Fitr or another day requested and approved by their supervisor.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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Standardize the practice...
August 8, 2008 - 09:44 ET by Ole_SargeMany corporations allow a number of "religious" holidays for paid time off by employees. A private company does not HAVE to observe Federal and State Holidays by giving its employees paid time-off.
So someone wants off for "Eid," good, then allow me off for "Good Friday" and Joe over there for "Yom Kipper." And if Joan in accounting wants off for the "Feast of the Blue Moon" that's cool too.
Just don't take away what is already customary and tell me to like it.
...or for the Simpsons
August 8, 2008 - 09:50 ET by tater...or for the Simpsons fans, "The Feast of Maximum Occupancy."
www.theholyrosary.org
"There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we can not resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary." -Sister Lucia
Why not just offer every
August 8, 2008 - 09:53 ET by Hero SquadWhy not just offer every employee one "floating" holiday? Feel free to use it for Eid, Good Friday, your birthday, Arbor Day, Talk Like a Pirate Day... the choice is yours.
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will
Holiday
August 8, 2008 - 10:18 ET by GothampcI love Talk Like a Pirate Day. It's my second favorite holiday.
But if you took the day
August 8, 2008 - 13:23 ET by Hero SquadBut if you took the day off, who would you talk pirate to? Aaargh!
*****
"People only insist that a debate stop when they are afraid of what might be learned if it continues." - George Will
arrrggh talk to....
August 8, 2008 - 13:36 ET by danhat....the one other guy who took the day off :)
Normally I don't root for the disease. But in your case I am willing to make and exception.
Pressure
August 8, 2008 - 10:05 ET by SickofLibsYes, the average citizen's opinion DOES matter when $$$ is involved.
“What we negotiated was the will of the workers,” said (Union prez) Mr. Appelbaum, who added that his was the first union to negotiate a paid day off for a Muslim holiday and that he was sure Tyson would not be the last employer to agree. - CORRECTION: "FIRST" SPOT STILL AVAILABLE.
Too bad Absolut (Aztlan ad) never jumped off their high horse, tho, cause I really liked that stuff. But I have found some pretty good substitutes.
vacation
August 8, 2008 - 11:06 ET by goldboughMy company offers 3 personal days plus regular vacation. I'm sure Tyson offers some vacation for full-time employees. Why can't the Muslims take a vacation day? This is the USA and we take USA holidays.
I hope this sends a message
August 8, 2008 - 11:13 ET by RESTLESS 1I hope this sends a message to all who have come here. We are the United States of America, and you must learm to assimilate to our way of living, NOT the other way around.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
e pluribus
August 8, 2008 - 11:49 ET by TruthMongere pluribus unum:)
the Republican platform (mostly)
celebrate UNITY
Journalism is the opium of the liberals
This is great news
August 8, 2008 - 11:28 ET by Dee BunkCongrats to Tyson employees on your extra day this year! I'm sure you all deserve it.
Notice that it was the Union that caused the problem.
August 8, 2008 - 11:39 ET by c5thenIt was not the employees or the company. The liberal left-wing Union "leadership" in an attempt to force people into thinking the way the Union wanted them to, negotiated a stupid and arrogant change. Then to compund the matter, the rank and file apprently approved the deal without ever reading it and realizing what they were agreeing to. Now the issue is closer to what should have been done in the first place. Allow the employees to choose the holidays that they want off.
Why not also allow the jewish employees to work on Christmas and choose another day in place of it?
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
If Islam were not intent on our subjugation, it might....
August 8, 2008 - 12:08 ET by ThalpyIf Islam were not intent on our subjugation, it might be different. It is not. Every incremental change we allow them to make affects our way of life and brings them closer to the implementation of Sharia law and the demise of our freedoms. The subtile push never ends; the more of them there are, the greater the push.
I know. We are often seen as racists, Islamophobs, and whatever else they can think to call us. Look at Britain, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Spain and France. Then, call us what you will.
Sharia law...
August 8, 2008 - 12:19 ET by motherbeltSharia law; not by conquest, but by capitulation -motherbelt
This is political
August 8, 2008 - 12:35 ET by mjgThis is political correctness gone crazy. I agree allow a floating holiday or 2, for these things.
Robert Spencer writes:
August 8, 2008 - 12:42 ET by Mr. Kafir"Israel and Palestine should have their countries taken away from them, put in timeout, until they can prove they can get along." - balboa, ignorant bastard, 3/17/08
Tyson Foods
August 8, 2008 - 12:46 ET by LCT688I had this exchange with Tyson Foods about this:
Thank you for your response to my remarks. My decision to no longer purchase Tyson Food products stands, and let me tell you why. I am a former union President myself, and for me it not what was negotiated with your union, its that your corporation agreed with it. By doing so you have led us one more step down the path to the destruction of American culture. My ancestors, as well as yours I'm sure, came to this country to become Americans, not Irish-Americans or German-Americans or Italian-Americans but Americans, to assimilate into, to interact with and become a part of our unique culture and way of life, not to remain isolated enclaves of the cultures of their former homes. It is this one and uniquely American historical imperative and personal obligation taken on by our ancestors that made this country the greatest nation in history. Action such as yours can only chip away at the foundation of our great nation. Such continued chips lead to cracks, cracks lead to fissures, fissures lead to breaks. I cannot in good conscience contribute to or condone such actions by purchasing products made by your company. Furthermore I will actively seek to ask others to join my boycott of your products.
Sincerely,
an unhyphenated American
Davis Wall
--- On Mon, 8/4/08, Johns, Michelle <michelle.johns@tyson.com> wrote:
"A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one."
Alexander Hamilton
They still have a muslim
August 8, 2008 - 17:22 ET by amberThey still have a muslim prayer room, no chapel, but a Muslim prayer room.
Give them an inch...
August 8, 2008 - 12:54 ET by PewahTo understand why this reversal was a good thing, one has only to look at the absurd circumstances over in the U.K. and France that have come about by making incremental accomodations for the least accomodating religion in the world.
Taking the lead
August 8, 2008 - 14:15 ET by VinncyGAs usual the United States must lead the way and show the world we will not allow our country to be taken over by anyone or any ideology. Maybe Europe will show some backbone and start taking back their culture and their heritage and not surrender like sheep.
I was pleasantly surprised
August 8, 2008 - 14:19 ET by HeavyChevyWhen I checked my email and read the reply from Tyson foods after writing to them also. It's nice to know "We the people" still means something in this country.
"9 out of 10 doctors agree that flag burning is the number one killer of liberals."
What Astounds Me About This
August 8, 2008 - 16:48 ET by geoff.galeAs someone who successfully negotiated a number of labour contracts, this would have been so easily solved by just giving all employees "X number of holidays to be used for religious occurances at the discretion of the employee and with the approval of the employee's supervisor." All Christians, Jews and Muslims individually get to prioritise the religious observances most important to them and take them off within the context of the company's business needs. The usual rules about weekend holidays apply here. If you know that the union is something like 55%-45% Muslim to Christian as it is at Tyson, it's conceivable that they could run the plant more days of the year at least at a limited production capacity.
Win-win.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
They don't want to cater to all religions though
August 8, 2008 - 16:51 ET by ElyasThis would cause the ACLU to come after them. Though they seemed silent about the Muslim holiday...
Thomas Jefferson once said, 'We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.
- Ronald Reagan
I Don't Think The ACLU Would Have An Actionable Complaint
August 8, 2008 - 17:39 ET by geoff.galeAll employees, no matter what religion (perhaps confined to a list of the top five or ten major religions in the world and approved by both labour and management) get a certain fixed number of holidays - what could be more fair than that? Hard to argue with complete parity between all religions vis a vis holidays. It's actually so equal, it's almost communist, and I'd think the ACLU would like that.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)
www.conservativeboot...
Nowhere near 55%
August 9, 2008 - 15:13 ET by SickofLibsThe union rep lied, claiming that plant was close to 70% muslim.
Turns out its less than 25%. Hardly a 'majority rules' situation; even if it was 70% it would've been a very dangerous precedent.
The whole thing was started by only two muslim women asserting the same old 'we deserve special treatment' crap.
Please, send us more Somalians. They're fitting in so well here.
I still won't buy their
August 8, 2008 - 17:13 ET by mattmI still won't buy their products. I haven't since I heard they gave tons of money to the Clintons.
Pelosi will be the Next to Reverse decision, bow to public will
August 8, 2008 - 19:12 ET by JayTeePelosi has made a Vacation/Holiday Decision also, and public pressure is mounting for Her to Reverse her Decision. She's a little SLOW in doing so...but the Pressure will continue...
The Republican Revolution will not be Televised
When I was in Korea, I got
August 8, 2008 - 21:13 ET by GrannyGrump42When I was in Korea, I got a day off for Christmas AND for Buddha's Birthday. I felt great goodwill toward Buddha and Buddhists on Buddha's Birthday, since it meant I got a day off from work with no religious obligations, unless you count my choice to pray for Buddhists -- who were having various celebrations in the park across the street from my apartment.
We were on salary, so some months we worked without any days off, and other months we got a week or more off.
Korea is about 1/3 Buddhist and 1/3 Christian, with 1/3 a mix of other things or nothing in particular, including ancestor worship -- which they did on New Year's Day, if I recall, which was another day off I didn't object to.
A Personal
August 9, 2008 - 15:07 ET by bigtimerA Personal Holiday....
You have got to be kidding...
What in the hell is this country coming to...
I have heard it all...well for today anyway.
Btw...I am glad they got the message by outrage from others.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh