Wisconsin Manufacturing Plant Changes Rules to Take Away Muslim Prayer Breaks

a reply to: theantediluvian

You make some great points (as usual) and I do agree that two five-minute breaks a day isn't too much to ask. But from reading more about this, my impression is that these people are just leaving their stations at prayer time (which isn't the normal break time) and their co-corkers have to cover for them while they're gone. No one working there should have to cover for other employees, without compensation, IMO. I wouldn't want to do it. The impetus behind this change may have come from other employees complaining.

If an accommodation causes hardship for other employees or the employer, I think they need to solve it another way.

Sure, why not

Let them have their prayer time and give the other employees covering their duties a pay raise for the increased workload.

I'm sure that'll go over like a fart in church.

They, if full time get two 15 minute breaks and a lunch break, I'm sure they could say some prayers then instead.

I'm sure god's cool with it.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Businesses change their employment policies all the time. It is irrelevant if they used to allow prayers. They don't anymore. If they employee doesn't like it they can find a new job. Businesses are not in business to cater to the desires of every employee. The employees need to determine what is more important. Working at this company and getting a paycheck or their religious beliefs.

Really, who cares? Pray on your own dime, not anyone else's.

a reply to: mobiusmale

IMO religious acts or religion itself should not be part of the workplace. It should be left at the door!

Anyways i'm sure they akso go for toilet break.... can they not pray then?

Which reminds me of when I worked at a large store in London... the toilets were nasty... filled with # on a daily basis...

a reply to: theantediluvian

What are you going on about?

1. The Islamic religion is definitely preventing these people from integrating into their societies work place.
And American is definitely a "Christian nation" no matter how many want to whine about it and deny this truth.

2. Islam might be the youngest but it has the most backward and regressive beliefs.

3. I'll smack talk any religion being that I am not a follower of any religion. I see you only defend one religion based on your religion bigotry.

If your religion causes my profits as an employer to be affected in any way, you are OUT..period.

I agree that these people shouldn't be able to just stop working and take a break just for a prayer unless it is their regularly scheduled break that every one gets after x amount of hours. Do find the timing strange if they allowed it before. Love all the "they have no right stuff", welcome to America guys, where we have freedom of religion.

This issue kinda reminds me of smokers who need extra breaks. I've seen some gripes made about that. Hope this place doesn't allow those either.

This is a business not a mosque.

They shouldn't get those breaks. I have worked along several Muslims in the healthcare system and they get the same 30min break every 6 hours just like everybody else. give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

a reply to: mobiusmale
You know what? If they are good, stable, dependable workers...then why not? A happy work force is a productive work force. This sounds like a decision made on Wall street, rather than Main Street.

a reply to: JohnnyCanuck

This is a business. They make things to turn a profit. The only way to do that is to keep the line moving.

Prayer breaks do not keep the line moving.

originally posted by: JohnnyCanuck

A happy work force is a productive work force. This sounds like a decision made on Wall street

Let's see, One group "Happily" walks off the line for prayer, While the remaining group roll their eyes because of increased work load and have to take up prayer time slack.

Yeah I can see a real "happy" work place dynamic develop between the two groups.

I was frequenting a specialty shop and a Muslim guy was hired to run it. It seems like every time I went there was a sign on the door that said"closed for 30 minutes for prayer."

Seems like it was there every time I went. I am not the most patient person in the world when I'm running errands. For my convenience I found a similar store that offered more traditional hours. Others did the same. After a few months he disappeared. I don't know if he quit or was fired, but I was happy to get my store back.

I guess he made his choice, as it should be. More power to him, and good luck with the next job.

a reply to: angeldoll

30 min is ridiculous, I worked with a devout muslim that would take a break for prayer at times, only when it wasn't busy and he would be gone for 5 min tops.
One time I was coming into work and was there early and was sitting in the break room when he came in to pray. He asked me if I was okay with it before he started, thought that was cool.

I don't blame you for going else where, to me sounds like that guy was milking it for some extended breaks.

originally posted by: Edumakated
a reply to: theantediluvian

Businesses change their employment policies all the time. It is irrelevant if they used to allow prayers. They don't anymore. If they employee doesn't like it they can find a new job. Businesses are not in business to cater to the desires of every employee. The employees need to determine what is more important. Working at this company and getting a paycheck or their religious beliefs.

Yes, businesses change policies but there's nothing inherently just or desirable about policy changes and workers can and will have and express grievances if the policy changes negatively impact them.

I'll go off topic:

Businesses operate to generate a profit. The end.

So what? Businesses also used to employ child laborers. Businesses also use to compel workers to work 70-80 work weeks with no overtime. Then people said to hell with that, my standard of living is more important than the company's bottom line and working people pushed back and ultimately, after decades of struggle, labor laws were passed.

The larger a business is, the further removed its controllers are from the workers, the more sociopathic an entity it tends to become. Left to their own devices, businesses will exploit workers to increase profits right up to and including death. This isn't theory or speculation, it's historical reality.

People seem to have forgotten that all businesses are the product of society and are therefore beholden to society.

Knock the bs piety off...I wonder do they all get up at Dawn and make (early morning prayer)Fajr…I doubt it,

This is no big thing Muslims should pray after work or during lunch.

They shouldn’t let their religion be a burden on someone else.

There’s only 2 Muslim Prayers in a 9 to 5 job, you could make the prayers up at home.

In Islam it is encouraged to make community prayer but it’s not obligatory

Just make up their prayers. One could easily combine the noon and afternoon, and the early Morning Prayer is the only prayer in Islam that can’t be made up and that prayer is said around dawn.

a reply to: Sremmos80

I was curious about how long prayers take. When I saw that amount of time, it occurred to me he was driving somewhere else. I don't know if this can be a solo thing, or if it is done in groups. But whatever, yeah, it was too inconvenient for me. I waited once as the sign said "be back at 1:30 gone to Prayers". I waited about 10 minutes and he had not come back by 1:30, so I was done.

When I drove away some people were still waiting outside the door, while several others drove away too. If that was my store, I wouldn't go for it either. It was causing the owner to lose customers.

But, land of the free! He was free to quit, and the owner was free to fire him for job abandonment.

originally posted by: Restricted

This is a business not a mosque.

It's a business that also had a Christmas party. From the looks of it, it was a Christmas party on work time and the decorating was done on work time.

Does that mean it's a Church?

a reply to: Willtell

I can say prayers silently to myself when I'm driving the car or at the grocery store. Can Muslims not do that? It's all so formal.