Company accused of exploiting disabled; state closes home (DMR)

[Debi]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090208/NEWS/902080344


http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090208/NEWS/902080343

Potential issues in Henry's Turkey case

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Payroll records indicate that Henry's has access to the men's income and deducts from their paychecks the expense of rent, food and care — all provided by Henry's. The company acts as employer, landlord and caregiver.

FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION: Henry's Turkey Service charges at least some of the men more than $1,000 per month for room, board and care. It's not clear how much the men actually receive from their Social Security and disability checks.

<snip>

LABOR VIOLATIONS: Are the men being paid a fair wage for their work at West Liberty Foods? That company's lawyer says Henry's Turkey Service calculates the pay based on the number of birds each worker processes.

[47of74]

1. This is a disgrace

They ought to hold the entire city council of Atalissa criminally liable for this.

[progressoid]

2. Hooray for corporate farming a food processing!

[jillan]

3. It is sickening how the disabled are always taken advantage of.

But - at least this company was exposed.

It is normal - here in Az - that if you live in a group home, you hand over your SSI check to them.

[Debi]

5. That's how it is here too.

But it's a pretty fair trade b/c the amount of the SSI check wouldn't cover typical rent/food/utilities.

In this instance - it seems that the SSI checks were taken as well as any 'earned' income (at below minimum wage) and in return substandard housing, food and care were provided.

Not quite even trade.

[Blue Gardener]

4. This is just horrible

I think those responsible should have to live in the same conditions as these poor men. And, go to work gutting turkeys every day.

[Debi]

8. And have all of their money taken from them for 'room, board & kind treatment'

x(

[rurallib]

6. This is such an odd raid.

I had heard before Christmas that Henry's was closing. The planned closing was around the end of February. There are only a few of the men still there. Most have returned to Texas to retire. Or at least that is what I heard. I don't know much about their internal workings. All I know is that these guys have been working at the turkey plant for a long time. I have no doubt that there probably have been abuses most likely all along. Yet why would whatever authority launched this raid wait until just prior to their planned closing to pull this raid? Seems like some real grandstanding for cheap political points to me.

[Debi]

7. Update - they're all coming to the Cedar Valley

http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2009/02/10/news/local/doc4991c09788b7d944420862.txt

[IADEMO2004]

9. Very hard to read and not come unglued

How can you worship the dollar that much? I guess we all need go door to door and ask our neighbors how are they doing.

[Debi]

10. This hits me right in the heart.

And something I worry about every day that I leave the house.

[Blue Gardener]

11. Governor's Ray and Brandstad

May have looked the other way. They were getting campaign contributions from what was then Louis Rich. DHS workers were told by "higher ups" to drop their investigation. Robert Ray was governor at the time. More info from KGAN:

http://www.kgan.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/kgan_vid_1902.shtml

KCJJ radio has been reporting on it as well.

[Debi]

12. Money is more important than people I guess

:banghead: