More than 160 Muslims have enlisted the federal government in two discrimination lawsuits against JBS Swift meatpacking plants, where they allege blood and bones were hurled at them, bathroom walls were covered with vile graffiti and company supervisors disrupted their efforts to worship during Ramadan, ultimately firing many Islamic employees.
The two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuits filed last week allege a pattern of religious and national origin discrimination and a hostile work environment at two plants – in Greeley, Colo., and Grand Island, Neb. The cases may rank among the largest Muslim discrimination lawsuits since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, unleashed a backlash against Muslims in the United States, government officials said. In the last five years through fiscal 2009, religious charges have grown 44 percent overall, and 58.4 percent for Muslim workers, according to EEOC data.
The JBS Swift cases, which involve mostly Somali refugees who joined the plants’ diverse and often immigrant-based workforce, stand out not only for their size but also for their details, EEOC officials said.
This is really rank discrimination. I hope justice is done for these people.
“..unleashed a backlash?”
The justice system will, I hope, sort this out and render a fair decision, based on the quality of the evidence. Wasn’t it a Swift packing plant where Somalis, last year or the year before, sued to have the whole work schedule changed to accommodate Ramadan?