Thread: IA-People being fed lies about plant, Rubashkin says

People being fed lies about plant, Rubashkin says
By TONY LEYS • tleys@dmreg.com • July 28, 2008


Postville, Ia. — The grandson of Agriprocessors' founder stood at the plant gates Sunday and watched hundreds of demonstrators file past, chanting for justice and workers' rights.

Getzel Rubashkin smiled and shook his head. He said the demonstrators were misinformed about his family and the way it treats employees of its meatpacking plant.

"No one here at the plant is against workers' rights. No one here is looking to mistreat anybody," he said. "What happens is, people are accepting stories as if that's company policy, to amputate people's hands."


Rubashkin, 24, stressed that he was not speaking on behalf of the company. But he quickly attracted a gaggle of reporters who rarely hear from anyone in his family.

He said Agriprocessors pays and treats its workers well. "This company is not on the other side of any of these people. ... People who are working on the inside want justice. They believe in justice. They live their lives trying to be just."

Rubashkin is the grandson of company founder Aaron Rubashkin and the son of Sholom Rubashkin, who ran the plant for years. His grandfather is an immigrant from Russia who has said he has given good jobs to other immigrants.

None of the Rubashkins has been charged with a crime since nearly 400 workers were arrested in a raid at the plant May 12. When asked whether he feared they would face legal troubles, Getzel Rubashkin said he had faith in God.

He said the illegal immigrants who worked at the plant before the May raid deceived supervisors with forged documentation. "They had papers that looked good," he said. He said underage workers also lied to supervisors about their ages.

He dismissed talk among some Jewish groups of adding guidelines for the treatment of workers who produce kosher food.

"As a religious Jew, I think it's a little pretentious to add requirements to what can and cannot be eaten," he said. Jewish law already clearly states the rules for kosher food, he said, and government agencies already are regulating other workplace issues.

Rubashkin said the public is being fed lies about his family and its company.

"We have no shortage of people who can use our situation as a vehicle to their own ends."




http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... 80315/1001

None of the Rubashkins has been charged with a crime since nearly 400 workers were arrested in a raid at the plant May 12. When asked whether he feared they would face legal troubles, Getzel Rubashkin said he had faith in God.

He said the illegal immigrants who worked at the plant before the May raid deceived supervisors with forged documentation. "They had papers that looked good," he said. He said underage workers also lied to supervisors about their ages.

The bottom line is that the illegal aliens presented false/stolen ID. Let's face it, illegal aliens lie every day and consider it justified. Were some of the offending supervisors also illegal aliens? If so, they (and not the company) preyed on their own people. We know activists will spread misinformation and hate speech to obfuscate the issues, they're scared of losing the money they make from "representing" illegal aliens.

If the company was at fault, why haven't they been shut down and the powers that be arrested? What's going on that we haven't heard about?

Any Citizens working there Getzel ? I wouldn't bet on it .