Meat companies to temporarily close plants so workers can attend

02:54 PM CDT on Sunday, April 30, 2006

Associated Press

Rallies and marches are planned across the Southwest on Monday as Latino groups join national organizations calling for less-restrictive immigration laws.

However, in Hobbs, N.M., some Hispanic leaders have urged people not to participate in planned walkouts or have said they won't participate themselves.

Joe Calderon, a Hobbs city commissioner and school board member, encouraged employees to remain on the job and students to stay in school on his radio show last week.

"I said, 'Go to work and stay in school.' And I know they're going to hate me," he said. "I'm going to be the bad guy, but that's fine. I don't want people getting fired for that or getting in trouble at school."

In Oklahoma City, a march is planned after school. Unity for Education is organizing the rally by hundreds of Latino students from about a dozen high schools and their families.

"A lot of students say education is the most important thing to them," said Ray Madrid, state director of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

National immigrant groups are urging people to skip work and avoid shopping on Monday to demonstrate the economic power of immigrants. Mr. Madrid said LULAC is not promoting a work stoppage, although some workers plan to stay home and boycott retailers.

"We were concerned about people losing their jobs. If you're going to take a day off, be sure you ask permission from your employer," said Pat Fennell of the Latino Community Development Agency.

"It's not a good idea to risk either academic status or their livelihood," Mr. Madrid said.

Tyson Foods Inc., the world's largest meat company, headquartered in Arkansas, will temporarily shut down 12 plants nationwide Monday because workers are expected to attend immigration rallies, a company spokesman said.

Meat companies Cargill Meat Solutions and Pilgrim's Pride Corp. also said they expected interruptions, with Cargill saying it would temporarily shut down plants and Pilgrim's Pride saying it planned to make scheduling adjustments.