Jim, I feel the same way — this is a story very much worth following, and I find it distressing when others just ignore on the ground knowledge and research.

About six years ago, I was at B&N in St. Paul when Stephen Bloom was doing an appearance on his book, “Postville: The Clash of Cultures in Heartland America.” I bought a copy, found it absolutely fascinating, so much so that on a trip east, I drove down the River Road and drove through Postville just to get a visual picture of the place. Even stopped for Pie and Coffee. I’d suggest that if anyone wants to get some depth on this whole topic, get hold of a copy of Bloom’s book. And Dave, perhaps you might find it interesting too — and since Bloom is a Professor of Journalism at the University of Iowa, in Iowa City — he would be a fantastic source for follow up. I have noticed he has been quoted in several of the articles about the Postville Raid.

The story is so much more complex than most people understand. The company, Agriprocessors, is owned by the Rubashkin family orginally from Crown Heights in Brooklyn. They bought the former Oskar Meyer plant in 1987, a plant that had closed so as to eliminate the Union Contract, that had previously provided Union scale wages plus benefits for workers in the region. The Rubashkin’s belong to the Lubavitcher Hasidic tradition, and as they re-opened the plant, the Culture Clash was profound — Rural Iowa with its German and Scandinavian heritage meet New York+Eastern European Jewish Orthodoxy. Bloom, who had recently been hired by U of Iowa from San Francisco was from the Jewish Reform tradition, and became interested in the stories he heard around Iowa about Postville, went, inquired, became something of a participant observer in both sides — the Lubavitcher and the Lutheran/Catholic, and over several years collected the elements of the story. Subsequently, as the undocumented workers came to make a major impact on Postville — he followed that too — most of the workers were E Europeans, (Polish and Ukranian) and then subsequently from Mexico and Central America. Bloom carries the story from the late 1980’s through the decade of the 90’s — from the start-up till the electorial confrontation where by Postville voted to annex the slaughterhouse land to the town so as to properly tax so as to support institutions such as the schools and all. (annex ballot measure passed.) The book covers all the cultural as well as economic conflict involved.

The rational for a packinghouse in Postville Iowa is obvious — the raw material, chickens and beef cattle, are at hand. Iowa has good rail transport to the various markets for Kosher foods — Chicago, New York, Los Angles, and in the case of Agriprocessors, the only American Glat Kosher slaughterhouse approved to sell meat in Israel — to the Chicago O’Hara Airport with its Air Freight facilities. But profits really depend on driving down labor costs and having few if any obligations to economically participate in the life of the community — and capturing the niche market for Kosher Meats. Currently Agriprocessors has about 60% of the US market, and 100% of the Israel-import market.

There actually seems to be more in the Jewish and Israeli press about this raid than in the US media. US papers and TV are more focused on the plight of the families that have been rounded up — the American and Israeli Press on the labor dispute — the NLRB recently, after an appeal, has certified a union to represent some workers — Iowa is a Right to Work State, so there will be no Union Shop, but the Union has a majority. The appeal was around the question of whether or not votes by the undocumented could be counted in an NLRB election — and the Appeals court reversed the lower court, and said yes — with one vote by Judge Kavanaugh — a Yoo disciple, against the worker’s interests. In essence, the way the Jewish Press is reporting this leads to the conclusion that the Raid was actually a Union Busting tool, essentially to get rid of the undocumented workers who had voted for the Union, so as to replace them with new, and more easily exploitable workers. They also make the point that a new association of Conservative Rabbi’s who do Kosher Slaughter supervision has recently organized, and intends to do battle with the Hasidic Rabbi’s in Postville. Agriprocessors has not only had trouble with the State and the Feds — but they are also in real trouble with PETA which has up on the net, video of stomach churning slaughter. The idea is, apparently, to combine ethical treatment of slaughter animals with Kosher processes, and create a new symbol that combines both. The suggestion is that all the contributions to Republicans more or less bought and paid for the Raid.

The current Governor of Iowa is a Democrat, Governor Culver, and he has received contributions from Agriprocessor management and owners. Vilsack, former Governor apparently didn’t. Representative Brayley, who currently has a Democratic primary challenge (challenger Fallon is supported by Act Blue and Kos) seems to be very supportive of the raid, but no contributions evidently. The Iowa Legislature tried this year to pass legislation with employer sanctions — but it didn’t pass one house.

So it is a very very interesting issue, and once you dig a little, it has streams that go in all directions. Dave, please stay on this one and see if Bloom’s book would help us develop a more adequate analysis. And Jim Clausen — post everything you know.

most of the dj’s are students or locals with a background in music.

on am on weeknights is pretty funny, students, they play all kinds of stuff, remember this is an out in the middle of nowhere college town….fm at night is local adult musician with ’crossing boundaries’ americana mostly. i quit listening to him and rusty when they kept playing contralto voiced females 24/7…..

i change around what i listen to, is a wide variety of music and ages.

lately the mexican guys on sunday afternoons are my favorite. they play some really rich stuff.

have fun…

I appreciate the feedback. Sometimes it feels as though I am a voice crying in the wilderness, but you chose to hear.

(((Quaker Girl, David, Esten, and all who need it))))

I love this community, but as we grow I can’t help but miss kiddo. Lahoma,Biodun, Trex, etc. Let us remember them as we grow.

and thanks for the radio linky.

guy’s name is pete hart, duh……D28+5

here’s the schedule page–also has jorma kaukonen’s fur peace ranch radio show too…..
http://www.publicbroadcasting…….guidemain

saturdays on am is dj’s that choose their own stuff not as good since ’junebug’ left, but ok sometimes…sunday afternoon after tavis smiley is two mexican guys, they play great stuff…

and harry shearer is on at 7 fm sunday night……..lol…….

The Southern Poverty Center has no clout in Texas with a GOP guv and Bush in the WH.