Thread: Labor secretary questioned about Postville raids

Labor secretary questioned about Postville raid
By JANE NORMAN • REGISTER WASHINGTON BUREAU • May 27, 2008


Washington, D.C. — Leaders of a congressional committee are pressing the U.S. Department of Labor for answers on whether an ongoing investigation of child labor and wage violations at a meatpacking plant in Postville, Ia., will be compromised by a May 12 immigration raid there.

Democratic leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee have written to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. They're also asking for more information on the complaints that prompted the Agriprocessors investigation, and whether federal labor officials had any involvement with the raid. The raid was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.


The letter was sent May 16 and signed by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chairwoman of a subcommittee on workforce protection, and Rep. George Miller, chairman of the full committee. Both are California Democrats.

Woolsey presided over a hearing May 20 on the impact on children and families of a string of recent worksite raids. ICE was the only federal agency represented at the hearing. The head of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization, raised similar questions at the hearing about a compromised labor investigation.

Mark Lauritsen, international vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers, also has written Chao, saying that his “worst fears are being realizedâ€

Leaders of a congressional committee are pressing the U.S. Department of Labor for answers on whether an ongoing investigation of child labor and wage violations at a meatpacking plant in Postville, Ia., will be compromised by a May 12 immigration raid there.

Democratic leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee have written to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. They're also asking for more information on the complaints that prompted the Agriprocessors investigation, and whether federal labor officials had any involvement with the raid. The raid was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Did not ICE prove child labor laws were violated when, during the raid at Agriprocessors, they took 12-18 minors into custody?

The Democratic leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee priority is whether wages below the federal minimum were paid at a packinghouse, cited for health safety violations, where the employer ILLEGALLY hired ILLEGAL ALIENS using ILLEGAL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.

The letter was sent May 16 and signed by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chairwoman of a subcommittee on workforce protection, and Rep. George Miller, chairman of the full committee. Both are California Democrats.

Woolsey presided over a hearing May 20 on the impact on children and families of a string of recent worksite raids. ICE was the only federal agency represented at the hearing. The head of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization, raised similar questions at the hearing about a compromised labor investigation.

" Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chairwoman of a subcommittee on workforce protection, and Rep. George Miller, chairman of the full committee"--their positions says it all.

HOW DOES THE HEAD OF LA RAZA HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF A LABOR INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCTED BY THE US GOVERNMENT?

[i]“I am concerned for the security of our great nation, not so much because of any threat from without, but because of the insidious forces working from within.â€

[quote="MyAmerica"][quote]


HOW DOES THE HEAD OF LA RAZA HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF A LABOR INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCTED BY THE US GOVERNMENT?







Remember what you posted for me to read yesterday MyAmerica?



Beltran also announced a plan to form "strategic alliances with [U.S.] unions, civil organizations and churches, to construct a pro-Hispanic, pro-migrant and pro human rights agenda…" Mexican diplomats are also setting up a free 24 hour hotline where a caller can get legal help. Mexican diplomats are working together with our own Department of Labor. (Thanks a lot, Bush Administration!)





How La Raza knew is simple enough. They and the union were no doubt working together in bringing this complaint to the Labor Dept.

The big question should be just how much La Raza knew about the investigation while it was being conducted. Once the complaint was made, La Raza should have been out of it. They had done their part in filing the complaint, after that, anything being done by the government in addressing that complaint was none of their business.