Swift lays off around 100 over apparent religious conflict

GREELEY – About 100 people, all of them Muslim, were laid off at Greeley's JBS Swift meatpacking plant on Wednesday following a walk-out last week when employees say they weren't allowed a special break so they could pray.

Muslim employees told 9NEWS all of the laid off employees were Muslims, most of them from East Africa, specifically from Somalia.

About 75 the ex-employees of them had gathered outside the plant after the layoffs were announced, but Greeley Police say the gathering was peaceful and did not get violent. There was one report of some type of scuffle inside the plant, but police didn't have specifics.

One Muslim worker claimed the layoffs were racist, arguing Muslim employees should have the right to pray.

"What I'm thinking is that this is basically racist," said Graen Isse. "I'm looking forward to the law and the law does not say: 'Fire people praying.'"

"We are very upset and we didn't like what they did today," said Isse.

Tensions between the Muslim workers and management have been simmering for about a week after the workers had requested a special break to pray during the holy month of Ramadan.

Swift initially obliged, but then reversed itself and denied the request on Friday. Several employees walked off the job in response. They stayed off the job on Monday and Tuesday and Swift says that violates their union contract so that is why they were let go.

JBS Swift did not return phone calls seeking comment on Wednesday but it did release a statement after the layoffs were made:

"For the past week, JBS management has met with union leadership and local Muslim leaders to address the timing of our second shift lunch break. As a result of those discussions we adjusted the lunch period by over one hour earlier to address their concerns.

On Friday many employees walked off of the job without proper authorization. This action is a direct violation of our collective bargaining agreement. As a result, Union leadership was notified and employees were told that, pursuant to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, failure to report to work when recalled would result in their immediate termination. A majority of the suspended employees returned to work last night and those that did not were notified this afternoon of their termination.

JBS is grateful to employ a multi-cultural workforce and works closely with all employees and their union representation to accommodate religious practices in a reasonable, safe, and fair manner to all involved."

Monday, more than 100 employees - many dressed in traditional East African clothing - gathered in a local park to demonstrate against Swift on Friday.

The group claimed religious discrimination and talked about a strike knowing full well that Swift could lay off those who didn't show for work.

Both sides met for negotiations earlier this week.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Muslim workers told 9NEWS that even though Swift didn't budge on the issue, most of the employees were returning to work.

"We want to work to pay our bills," said Swift worker Asad Abdi earlier in the day. "We cannot tell people to just stop and walk away."

Abdi said legal action against Swift is still being considered.

Specifically, this dispute revolves around the lunch break for second shift workers.

Currently, employees break at around 9:30 p.m. The Muslim employees wanted that break temporarily moved up to 7:30 p.m., which is when their religion directs them to break fast and pray during Ramadan.

Swift made the break time switch last week, irritating some non-Muslim workers who didn't want to take lunch early in their shift.

Friday, the company reversed its earlier decision and didn't let employees break until 9 p.m., according to Muslim workers.

Abdi said managers blocked employees from using both the bathrooms and water fountains.

Even if the company doesn't move the lunch break, Abdi claims the company should give them a 15 minute break at 7:30 p.m.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires businesses to accommodate religious observance or practice unless doing so would cause "undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business."