Union leader worried Postville labor probe compromised

By WILLIAM PETROSKI • May 16, 2008

A top union official said Friday it appears his “worst fears are now
being realized” and government investigations into alleged worker
exploitation at a Postville meatpacking plant are being compromised.

Mark Lauritsen, international vice president of the United Food and
Commercial Workers, expressed his concerns in a letter to U.S. Labor
Secretary Elaine Chao. Because federal authorities are quickly moving
389 workers from the Agriprocessors Inc. plant through the legal
process, he said he worries key witnesses won’t be available to
complete investigations “that could ultimately uncover serious and
unscrupulous employer acts.”

State and federal labor officials earlier this week confirmed they had
been investigating the Postville plant, which is the nation’s largest
kosher meat-processing facility, prior to Monday’s federal immigration
raid. The labor probe involved alleged violations of wage and child
labor laws, a state official said.

“The detention, possible deportation and voluntary departure of nearly
400 potential witnesses could greatly complicate the child labor
investigations being conducted in Postville,” Lauritsen said. He noted
that 18 incidents of juveniles working in the Agriprocessors’ plant,
some as young as 13 years old, have already been made public.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Teig in Cedar Rapids said Friday that
306 individuals facing criminal charges as a result of Monday’s
enforcement operation in Postville are still in detention facilities
in Iowa.

Another 62 people were released for humanitarian reasons and Teig said
he “assumes they are still in the state of Iowa.” An additional 21
persons were detained on matters relating to U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, and some are juveniles who have been moved to
juvenile facilities outside of Iowa, he said.
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Mike Staebell, assistant district director of the U.S. Department of
Labor office in Des Moines, declined Friday to comment on the union
letter, citing the Postville case as “an open investigation.

Tim Counts, an ICE spokesman, would only say that Monday’s enforcement
operation in Postville was the result of months of investigation and
careful planning and “it was conducted in full compliance with ICE
policies and procedures.”

A spokesman for Agriprocessors has said the company is cooperating
with investigators, but has declined comment on specific allegations.

The United Food and Commercial Workers had been trying to organize
Agriprocessors workers for collective bargaining prior to Monday’s
federal enforcement operation.

Lauritsen asked Chao to explain what steps are being taken to ensure
that key witnesses remain available to federal prosecutors. He also
requested to know if the labor investigation continues, and what
agency is taking the lead regarding allegations against the company
that range from physical assault to manufacturing illegal drugs and
possible tax violations.

“I think it is important to get answers to these questions in order to
allay fears in the community that Agriprocessors is avoiding any
culpability for these serious allegations of exploitation and abuse
because of” actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
Lauritsen said.