Statement From Cargill, Inc.

Overview

Cargill has policies specific to attendance and religious accommodation. They have not changed.
As a USDA-inspected meat processing facility, Cargill's Fort Morgan beef processing plant must meet federal government requirements related to food safety, workplace safety and other federal regulations.
The nearly 2,000 hourly employees at our Fort Morgan beef processing facility also work under a collective bargaining agreement (union contract) with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters labor organization (Local 455).
Cargill makes every reasonable attempt to provide religious accommodation to all employees based on our ability to do so without disruption to our beef processing business at Fort Morgan.
In the Fort Morgan plant, a reflection area for use by all employees to pray was established in April 2009, and is available during work shifts based on our ability to adequately staff a given work area.
While reasonable efforts are made to accommodate employees, accommodation is not guaranteed every day and is dependent on a number of factors that can, and do, change from day to day. This has been clearly communicated to all employees.
Cargill is an equal opportunity employer that follows all applicable employment regulations.

Situation at Fort Morgan (12/21/15 to 12/28/15)

Monday, 12/21, the first shift at Fort Morgan was fully staffed and operated normally, although the plant ran at reduced capacity during the second shift due to staffing constraints.
Approximately 200 Somali employees chose not to report for second shift work Monday (12/21) that began at 2:45 p.m. Mountain Time.
Multiple attempts were made to discuss the situation with local Somali employees without a successful resolution, including a Tuesday (12/22) meeting at the plant management's request. Plant management and union representatives met with Somali leaders without resolution.
Based on company policy, employees that do not show up for work, or call in, for three consecutive days, with Monday 12/21 being the first day, were at risk for termination of their employment.
Efforts were made to communicate to employees who did not show up for work to ensure they understood their jobs would be at jeopardy.
After employees chose not to call in or show up for second shift work at Fort Morgan on Tuesday (12/22) and Wednesday (12/23), termination procedures were initiated and the employment relationship with approximately 190 people ended.
We continue to operate two shifts daily on weekdays at Fort Morgan.