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Flaums' Factory Workers to Speak Tonight at Uri L'Tzedek Beit Midrash

Hey New York friends,
Workers from the Flaum’s Kosher Foods plant will be speaking tonight at an Uri L’Tzedek Beit Midrash about their experiences at the plant and what the Jewish community can do to make change.
A little background: Flaums’ is a Satmar owned kosher food maker that for years was in violation of wage law for dozens of its employees (60-80 hour weeks with no overtime, some workers working below minimum wage, etc)… The workers tried to raise their concerns with the management and were all illegally fired. The workers took them to court, and the National Labor Relations Board and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in their favor, fining the company $300,000 in back pay. However, the company is stalling payment. That’s where we (and you if you can make it) come – we’re trying to put some communal pressure on Flaum’s to pay what they owe the workers in back wages. For more info, read this Forward article.
Come tonight and we’ll learn some Torah around workers’ rights and Jewish law, in addition to hearing from some of the workers themselves. The event is happening at 7:30 PM, at the Drisha Institute. 37 w. 65th street, 5th floor

3 thoughts on “Flaums' Factory Workers to Speak Tonight at Uri L'Tzedek Beit Midrash

  1. While we are on this topic. Does anyone know what happened to the Hechser Tzedek? There have been no new press releases about it on the Magentzedek.org site since July. That press release said food companies could start to have their products certified next year but field tests are supposed to be taking place this year. Any one know which foods are being tested? Any one know the markets where these tests are taking place? If the press release from July is true then it would appear some consumers somewhere should already be able to make decisions to by a product with the Hechser Tzedek or buy a similar product that doesn’t have the symbol. If anyone has some more news about it, please post.

  2. @JL
    Since Hechser Tzedek was an idea that came form the aging and fading Conservative movement is it any wonder its not exactly spreading like wildfire?
    1/ Since everyone here is so all fired up about helping the poor, who not think of the poor Satmars (and there are a lot of them) trying to feed their families. They need affordable kosher food-the kind that can only be produced by low wage workers.
    2/ According to the Backward article these workers are being organised by the IWW. Why would anyone want to be represented by an organisation that reached its peak, oh say in 1911 (see ‘Conservative movement’ above) instead of a real union?
    3/ While the women at the Drisha Institute are being taught that the Torah doesn’t condemn wonderful lesbianism those Satmar oppressor women are having lots of kinder.
    Between the Drisha Institute and Satmar, we’ll see which lasts longer.
    4/ There’s nothing about this on the Drisha website. Are they embarrassed?

  3. Dave Boxthorn,
    If the only way to survive as Jews is to behave like Satmar, better we assimilate. Much, much better.
    Ari, please update us about the meeting.

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