Hundreds of Workers Fired for Attending Immigration Rallies

It would appear that some companies are not going to tolerate workers leaving work to attend protest rallies. In Florinda 10 restaurant workers were fired, in Texas 22 welders were fired and in Milwaukee an additional 200 workers were fired but got their jobs back after protest leaders threatened to release the names of the companies which of course was outright blackmail. Then to put the icing on the cake two workers who were fired by Applebee's have started lawsuits to get their jobs back.






Now this to me is the way to handle these illegal workers that are protesting. It is just a shame that some companies let them blackmail them back into getting their jobs.

There is one disturbing trend here though and that is the fact that the main stream media is not giving this the coverage it deserves. It kind of makes one wonder if the media is conspiring with corporate America to keep the illegals here just for their cheap labor

One good thing is that at least some companies are doing just as they should which was fire them and I hope when May 1st comes a lot more get fired to show them blackmailing will not work.

Originally posted by shots

It kind of makes one wonder if the media is conspiring with corporate America to keep the illegals here just for their cheap labor

Nah.

Do ya think?

Shots
What about if these people are actually US Citizens who are protesting the legislation on behalf of their friends, relatives and co-workers, should they also be fired?I doubt very much that an illegal alien would be able to sue in a court of law and not have to worry about being arrested or deported.


Pie

I agree with you on the May 1st strike. I also want to see how is this going to play out. The fact that people are talking about it is outstanding. I mean the strike would hurt the bussiness that hire this workers. I know your opinion on how the bussiness owners should handle this situation, but what if the strike is bigger than expected ?

Originally posted by ThePieMaN
Shots
What about if these people are actually US Citizens who are protesting the legislation on behalf of their friends, relatives and co-workers, should they also be fired?

I would think anyone that left work without permission for any reason (other than an emergency of some sort) should be reprimanded at the very least. I know if I left my job without permission, I'd be in hot water. Illegal alien or not, if you have a job, do it, that's what you get paid for.

If you walk out of school, you might get suspended. Go to a protest and not work, you may get fired. Plain and simple, right?

This is not a national holiday. If you can call in sick, do it. If you cannot and you do not go to work you should be fired in my opinion. If you reward behaviour that is unacceptable, it is quicky accepted and you lost control of the situation.

I just hope Americans got the jobs and are not to proud or stupid to not work a low wage job to support the economy.

Originally posted by ThePieMaN
Shots
What about if these people are actually US Citizens who are protesting the legislation on behalf of their friends, relatives and co-workers, should they also be fired?I doubt very much that an illegal alien would be able to sue in a court of law and not have to worry about being arrested or deported.


Pie

That is a moot point. This was no legal holiday or as others mentioned an emergency, so there is no reason to give them time off unless of course they had vacation days coming were they could have asked for a vacation day if proper notice was given. Also where vacations are concerned one has to consider seniority prevails when more then one or two employees apply for the same day. In that case only those that they can afford to give vacation time would be allowed to get it. All others would be in violation of the rules and subject to firing as they should be.

Originally posted by soficrow
Nah.

Do ya think?

Not really sure, but it sure could be possible, what other reason would there be for not covering the stories on the firings, they have to be protecting someone.

I just wrote Lou Dobbs and asked him why he had not given it coverage

Not that he will cover it, but I sure can hope

The more that are aware of this, the more that may take action and do the right thing which is fire those that do not follow the rules.

[edit on 4/17/2006 by shots]

I doubt very much that an illegal alien would be able to sue in a court of law and not have to worry about being arrested or deported.

Just like I’m sure you would have doubted that an illegal alien could protest freely in the US without fear of deportation correct? Truth is there are organizations out there that will help illegal, yes illegal aliens sue in court for damages. Now this is so ridicules it’s beyond being funny. It blows my mind that these organization are getting away with helping illegal aliens who are fugitives from US law, and they are allowing them to exercise rights they are not even entitled to since thy shouldn’t even be here in the first place!

Now, I for one applaud these companies who are willing to take this kind of action that lets people know, citizens or not, that you cannot leave work because you feel like protesting. Although I don't know why that one company hired those workers back, so what if their name was released. It would have just let everyone know which company takes the issue seriously and it would have made them role models. Instead they bent over from pressure brought on by special interest groups.

People this so called companies will be firing some illegals but your bet your hart that they will be hiring more on the side.

It shouldn't be hard for them to find other illegals to hire, they swarm all over the place like roaches.

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Although I don't know why that one company hired those workers back, so what if their name was released. It would have just let everyone know which company takes the issue seriously and it would have made them role models. Instead they bent over from pressure brought on by special interest groups.

Maybe they didn't want people to know that they hire illegals. I tend to agree with marg. For every illegal that gets fired, there will be another there willing to take the job.

Edit to add, zod that was rude and uncalled for. Can't we discuss this with some civility please?

[edit on 4/17/2006 by darkelf]

Yes illegal or not , if they leave there job to participate in any demonstration then they need to pay the consequences, lose the job or whatever company policy may be. And for sure the media needs to give alot more coverage to this than what they are, but we all know who runs the media, and they are gonna do as they are told, just as they have been for so long.

An illegal should have absolutely NO rights whatsover in this country, they should be arrested and deported to whence they came from!

[edit on 17-4-2006 by tracer]

Maybe they didn't want people to know that they hire illegals. I tend to agree with marg. For every illegal that gets fired, there will be another there willing to take the job.

Perhaps, but if their name is released now then they are in an even worse position. Also for you second point you have build a wall first, then you clean house. Otherwise it would be like trying to rid a house of flies in a summer day while leaving all the doors and windows open.

[edit on 17-4-2006 by WestPoint23]

I agree with an earlier poster that we all have a responsibility to go to work when it's expected of us and to face the consequences if we cheat the system. We're relied upon to produce a product or provide a service.

I don't blame my employer when he punishes my colleagues who skirt the rules to do things like attend sports events or go fishing. I don't blame the employers for dealing with these protesters either.

There's a time and a place for demonstrations. The time is definitely not when you're expected to be at work.

Which of these fired workers was an illegal immigrant?

Because which ever ones were, their bosses should be the ones arrested and prosecuted.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Because which ever ones were, their bosses should be the ones arrested and prosecuted.

Agreed!

Better yet, make a law that allows a snitch to get a percentage for turning in the employer that hires illegals, then force the employer to serve jail time. If its a big corporation then make the CEO and CFO do a month each in jail, no time off, no suspensions, no mercy.

Originally posted by Nygdan
Which of these fired workers was an illegal immigrant?

Because which ever ones were, their bosses should be the ones arrested and prosecuted.

There in lies part of the problem Nygdan. Currently there are no laws under which those individuals could be prosecuted because it is not a felony as it should be. Illegals do not want that in the bill, because they know that law abiding people would then not hire them.

I did something similar when i was in my early 20's and looking for a job. i skipped out of work unannounced from a retail job to go on an interview for a corporate job and paid the price for it. I was demoted to clerk for it and didnt even get the corporate job! I took a chance for something that i really wanted and believed in and it didnt pay off and i paid the price for it.

Im sure these illegals believe in their cause but they need to be made to pay the price for it should they leave work. If i was the company id fire them too....then again if i was the company i never would have hired them in the first place.

Though I've got sympathy for their protests, to be blunt, "them's the risks you take." If they left their jobs without notice, then they are at risk for being fired just as if I did so. If their employers are skipping the written procedure for unexcused absences and jumping straight to firing, I may see a problem, but honestly with "Right-to-Work" being the lay of the land in most places, any one of us can be let go at any time now.


This gets to one of my frustrations with the current atomosphere towards protests in the US lately (the other being "Well, we're college students, we're supposed to be against war, right?"): The idea that actions done in defense of ideals should have no negative personal consequences. We see it from students who skip class, then get upset about bad grades or administrative punishment, or employees who complain that they shouldn't have to use sick/vacation/personal days to leave and attend political rallies, from people who break laws they think are wrong, then are surprised when they're punished for it. It belittles the contributions of those protestors throughout American history who have willfully broken unjust laws, who have stood up to authorities they felt to be abusive, and who have proudly born the scars of their trials as the purchase price for the freedom they sought.

Freedom is a right, it is good and necessary, but it is almost never free.

Originally posted by shots
Currently there are no laws under which those individuals could be prosecuted because it is not a felony as it should be. Illegals do not want that in the bill, because they know that law abiding people would then not hire them.

Part of the trouble that I have with the bill, changing illegal status to a felony, is really in the wording and likely implementation. As it stands currently (as I understand it, IANAL and all that), foreign workers who are here legally will become felons immediately if their current employer lays them off or eliminates their position. Under current law the employer, not the worker, is the only one who can request an extension of most work visas, and unless the employer submits a request to INS saying "we're getting rid of this guy's job, he'll need a couple days to get out of Dodge", upon clocking out the foreign national is at risk for being picked up on a felony, even if he's just heading back home to pack and leave.