An interesting piece from today's Atlanta Journal.
<<A group of Somali Muslims who quit their jobs at a Suwanee electronics
plant because their boss wouldn't let them pray may go back to work today.
In an agreement announced by a Solectron official Tuesday in Atlanta, each
worker will receive a letter from the company expressing regret over
"misunderstandings." The Somali workers, many of whom have been unemployed
since they quit Oct. 29, also will receive an undisclosed amount of back
pay. In addition, Solectron officials agreed to schedule work breaks to
accommodate the Somalis, who need a five-minute break to pray at sunset.
Solectron also set aside special rooms where the Somalis can pray and
restrooms where they can wash their hands, face and feet before they pray,
as required before worship.
"They are so happy," said Halima Kerlew, president of the Atlanta-based
Somali Refugee Family Foundation, which tried to help 33 Somalis after they
quit their jobs over the prayer dispute. "Most of them will start back to
work tomorrow."
As part of the settlement, Kerlew's agency received an undisclosed
contribution from Solectron. She said the money will be used to help Somalis
find jobs, arrange after-school programs for Somali children and offer
translation services for Somalis who don't speak English.
Bob Hawkins, general manager of the Suwanee Solectron plant, met Sunday with
two representatives of the Somalis. "We very much welcome them back," he
said, adding that the company has more than 100 Muslim employees. Solectron
is "very much better educated on the religious needs of the Muslim
community," he said, adding that Solectron will arrange diversity training
for its 1,500 employees in Suwanee.
The Somali workers quit their jobs because their boss would not let them
leave the assembly line to offer obligatory Islamic prayers during work
breaks. Muslims are required to pray five times each day. One time coincides
with sunset, when the Somalis were at work. The Somalis, who made cellular
phones at Solectron, said they used to be able to pray whenever they needed
to, but a new boss stopped the practice and suggested that they pray in the
bathroom.
Hawkins said an internal investigation found "no evidence that anyone was
told to pray in the bathroom." He attributed the dispute to
"misunderstandings and miscommunications."
The settlement was brokered by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a
Washington-based Islamic advocacy group. Martin McMahon, a lawyer for CAIR,
commended Solectron officials for their "swift response" to the prayer
issue.
After an article about the dispute appeared Nov. 13 in The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution, the California-based company sent several officials to
Washington for six hours of negotiations with CAIR officials. Eric Shakir,
civil rights coordinator for CAIR, toured the Suwanee plant Sunday and said
Tuesday that he believes Solectron is now dealing fairly with the Somalis.
CAIR will continue to advise Solectron on how to accommodate Muslim
employees. Solectron also restated its commitment to workplace diversity
with an addendum on specific workplace needs of Muslims and other religious
groups.>>
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