Thread: Hallmark Beef workers: face termination....duh!

knbc.com
Report: Chino Meat Workers Threatened With Termination
Employee: 'I Was Just Doing What They Told Me'

POSTED: 4:05 pm PST March 1, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Slaughterhouse workers at that Chino meat-packing plant would get fired if they refused a supervisor's order to butcher sick cows, an ex-employee said in a jailhouse interview published Saturday.

"You feel bad, but this is your job," said Rafael Sanchez Herrera, in a jailhouse interview conducted by the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "They give you orders and you have to do it," he said in Spanish.

The illegal immigrant said he and his coworkers mistreated animals and butchered cattle that were unfit for human consumption at the threat of losing his $380 per week job.

"I was just doing what they told me," Sanchez Herrera said.

The Mexican citizen said he also does not understand why charges have been filed against him but none of the coworkers and supervisors he said instructed him on how to handle so-called "downer" cattle.

Sanchez remains in custody and bail has not been set because he is an undocumented immigrant, the newspaper reported.

Sanchez told the newspaper he worked eight years at the plant and that most of his co-workers were also undocumented immigrants.

According to the newspaper, Sanchez said the alleged abuse was relatively uncommon, more likely to occur in the winter because severe weather weakened and sickened the cows sick and frail. The former worker told the newspaper that he routinely fed his family with meat he brought home from work. He added he was never worried about the meat's toxicity.

"The meat is good," he told the newspaper.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture forbids the use of such "downer" cows for food -- primarily because it could be more likely to cause illness, including mad cow disease. No illnesses have been reported.

Undercover video shot by a Humane Society agent showed sick cattle being abused by workers armed with forklifts and high-pressure hoses.

Use of the sick cows uncovered by the tapes prompted the largest beef recall in history.

The newspaper contacted the slaughterhouse ex-employee at a San Bernardino County jail in the high desert, where he awaits trial on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges and an outstanding drug charge.

Much of the recalled beef is thought to have already been consumed, although officials warn that people who have beef in their refrigerators or freezers purchased prior to Feb. 17 either discard the meat or confirm that the retailer's shipment did not come from Westland-Hallmark.

The partial list of retailers that received the recalled meat is was posted by the state government on the Internet at www.cdph.ca.gov.

Copyright 2008 by KNBC.com and KNBC (NBC4 Los Angeles). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sanchez told the newspaper he worked eight years at the plant and that most of his co-workers were also undocumented immigrants.

So...where is ICE?

With federal inspectors and no one reported it? Just prove that our goverment knows what going on and doesn't if americans are being replaced by IA's. Hopefully with will result in more raids across the nation.

The Mexican citizen said he also does not understand why charges have been filed against him but none of the coworkers and supervisors he said instructed him on how to handle so-called "downer" cattle.

This man is not only illegal and faces drug charges but is a liar as well.

"Daniel Ugarte Navarro, 49, a former supervisor at the now-closed slaughterhouse, surrendered last week to face prosecution on five felonies and three misdemeanors and has been released on $75,000 bail. "

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-104994-hallmark.html

This beef was shipped to several schools here. Most had already used at least some of it. So far, I haven't heard of any sick children caused by it.

According to the newspaper, Sanchez said the alleged abuse was relatively uncommon, more likely to occur in the winter because severe weather weakened and sickened the cows sick and frail. The former worker told the newspaper that he routinely fed his family with meat he brought home from work. He added he was never worried about the meat's toxicity.

"The meat is good," he told the newspaper.

Oh god! I already feel sick.

Mad Cow Disease May Have 30 Year Incubation Period

The findings of the inquiry into a cluster of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) cases -- the human version of mad cow disease -- suggest the fatal disease has an average incubation period of 30 years and may claim thousands or tens of thousands more victims.


http://www.mercola.com/beef/incubation.htm

The Mexican citizen said he also does not understand why charges have been filed against him but none of the coworkers and supervisors he said instructed him on how to handle so-called "downer" cattle.

Because you got caught on video...DUH!

It's always someone else's fault with these illegals, isn't it?

The illegal immigrant said he and his coworkers mistreated animals and butchered cattle that were unfit for human consumption at the threat of losing his $380 per week job.

"I was just doing what they told me," Sanchez Herrera said.

OK ...LISTEN. IF YOUR BOSS TELLS YOU TO DO SOMETHING ILLEGAL OR YOU WILL LOSE YOUR JOB....YOU ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING THE ILLEGAL ACT. IF YOUR BOSS TELLS YOU TO SELL DRUGS DO YOU DO IT? IF YOUR BOSS TELLS YOU TO KILL SOMEONE DO YOU DO IT? EMPLOYEES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ILLEGAL ACTS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEIR BOSS "TOLD THEM TO DO IT".

THIS IS WHY EMPLOYERS LIKE TO HIRE ILLEGALS. ILLEGALS WILL JUST DO WHATEVER "EL JEFFE" TELLS THEM TO DO ....EVEN IF IT IS ILLEGAL OR IMMORAL....THEY DO IT. AND THEN WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT THEY WANT TO WASH THEIR HANDS BY SAYING "THEIR BOSS TOLD THEM TO DO IT". SO WHAT? IT IS STILL ILLEGAL AND IMMORAL. IT IS ALSO A THREAT TO PUBLIC HEALTH....NOT TO MENTION THE SUFFERRING CAUSED TO THE ANIMALS.

"You feel bad, but this is your job," said Rafael Sanchez Herrera, in a jailhouse interview conducted by the Riverside Press-Enterprise. "They give you orders and you have to do it," he said in Spanish.

The illegal immigrant said he and his coworkers mistreated animals and butchered cattle that were unfit for human consumption at the threat of losing his $380 per week job.

Just another reminder why slavery is a very bad thing and should not be revisited.

"I was just doing what they told me," Sanchez Herrera said.

Gee, now there's a famous saying I haven't heard in a while - "We were just following orders..." GRRRRR!

"I was just doing what they told me," Sanchez Herrera said.

Ha! Famous last words! People are not buying this anymore! I hope these workers go to a special place where cows are allowed to treat them as they want to.