Ariens CEO Dan Ariens
The Ariens Company, of Brillion Wisconsin, has BANNED PRAYER BREAKS for its Muslim employees.
According to the company website, Ariens CEO Dan Ariens is a “community leader” (emphasis mine):
Dan Ariens, great-grandson of company founder Henry Ariens, joined the company in 1983 and became President and CEO in 1998. Since that time, his leadership has been defined by a set of five Core Values and 15 Management Principles that clearly outline management expectations. A strong proponent of Lean manufacturing principles and the strength of American manufacturing, Dan has created a culture of continuous improvement that has resulted in the creation of world-class manufacturing facilities by Lean standards. Over his tenure, he has led several strategic acquisitions, creating a family of brands that represent several of the most respected names in the outdoor power equipment industry. Dan holds leadership positions on the boards of many public and private entities in Wisconsin, including a position on the Executive Committee of the Green Bay Packers’ Board of Directors. He is also an active participant in industry issues, having served on the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) Board of Directors since 2000, including two terms as Board Chairman.
Indeed — leading in the mold of David Duke, as nearly as I can tell. Looks to me as though Mr. Ariens confuses “continuous discrimination” with “continuous improvement”. It appears to me that perhaps Mr. Ariens is “Lean” in the judgement and fairness departments — he seems to be a few palm trees short of an oasis when it comes to respecting American values such as the free exercise of religion.
I think it’s time to tell Dan Ariens, the Green Bay Packers, and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, and others, that this flagrant discrimination against his Muslim workers embarrasses EVERY American.
I own an Ariens snow blower. I called Ariens, and I encourage each of you to the same. Here is the contact information from the company site:
Ariens Company
655 W. Ryan Street
Brillion, WI 54110
920.756.2141
When I called, I spoke to “Mike” in “customer service”. He took my name and phone number, and told me that he and his associates were “keeping track of these calls, for and against”.
Please join me in objecting to this shameful discrimination against Muslim workers.
…the law is on the side of the Muslim employees in situations like this, and as such Ariens is violating it.
Apparently the company claims some sort of “hardship” exemption.
It makes me wonder if the Green Bay Packers and Outdoor Power Equipment Institute want a criminal as a director.
Even Scalia wrote for the majority that said Abercrombie and Fitch couldn’t force a Muslim employee to take off a head scarf. Personal prayer is protected at the workplace and schoolhouse. Dietary accomadations and time off for holidays too. It pains me that a good business and community leader thinks this is wise, or within his rights. It’s neither. Consistency means defending religious freedom no matter what, and to me it’s not a team blue or team red issue.
From the county clerk who wouldn’t issue legal marriage licences, to the stewardess who suddenly didn’t want to serve drinks (isn’t that their job?) because she’s muslim, to the muslim truck driver who wouldn’t deliver beer; fire them all if their superstitions interfere with the performance of their assigned duties. Don’t take the job or quit if your religious beliefs would interfere.
How can you run an assembly line if the wiccans want to go look at the full moon?
These Muslims just want to step away from their posts for a few minutes to pray on their own. They are not withholding products or services from others who do not share their faith. By your standard nobody would have to accommodate them and they would be condemned to perpetual unemployment.
in a halal butcher shop. Where an atheist might get fired if he didn’t follow certain religious practices.
The call to prayer can happen at slightly different times. I’ve worked on factory processes where temperature and pressure readings had to be strictly followed for certain time periods and if you left the machines unattended they could explode. Would it be fair to other workers in the building to leave?
…but still the right thing to do. I’m not sure how flexible prayer times are. As long as this is discussed ahead of time there are ways to make this work. You can’t pigeonhole a religious minority to only work in “their” businesses. If an atheist is employed there there is no problem since he isn’t AGAINST such regulations; he just doesn’t follow them. You seem to be trying way too hard to make religion an obstacle.
So long as you fire the workers who step away from the line for a cigarette break, fire the Christians who want to take off for Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and so on, fire the Jews who take off the Jewish holidays, etc, then I suppose you can do as you suggest.
What you cannot do is, for example, explicitly identify a specific religion and single them out for discrimination.
but if because of their religion they won’t do a task required as part of the job then yes fire them. Most jobs have a certain number of personal days and employees can spend them however they want. If employees go over their limit businesses should be able to get rid of people. FMLA is one thing, a note from your pastor is another.
Here’s a scenario. The executive chef decides to try a new appetizer scallops wrapped in bacon. It goes over well and the first seating finds every table ordered them. Then the busboys (who happen to be jewish and muslim) refuse to clear the tables. They might touch the bacon. Why should the other overworked employees have to pick up the slackfor the busboys?
Praying is not.
Marriage licences are secular documents that have nothing to do with the personal religious beliefs of the person issuing them. She has a right to leave her name off of them, which was the compromise they agreed to in KY, or silently let other people sign off on them, which is what all the other clerks who weren’t publicity hogs did without significant fanfare. A public business is entirely different, and the rules are modified to balance between the individuals freedom of conscience and the public’s good.
Similarly, pharmacists and doctors who object to certain health care procedures can refuse to do them, so long as another attending health care worker is able to provide the same service or refer that service. This is a reasonable remedy. The Muslim stewardess could have another employee comfortable with that service perform it instead.
And I might add, I’d be the first to defend a Christian employee if a similar situation arose with their employer. I can’t think of any examples off the top of my head and have found none after a quick google search. In my own brief career, I’ve had no complaints or issues about keeping ashes on my forehead or taking time off to attend weekday religious services during Lent and Holy Week.
n/t
G.L. c. 151B, s. 4(1A).
It shall be unlawful discriminatory practice for an employer to impose upon an individual as a condition of obtaining or retaining employment any terms or conditions, compliance with which would require such individual to violate, or forego the practice of, his creed or religion as required by that creed or religion including but not limited to the observance of any particular day or days or any portion thereof as a sabbath or holy day and the employer shall make reasonable accommodation to the religious needs of such individual. No individual who has given notice as hereinafter provided shall be required to remain at his place of employment during any day or days or portion thereof that, as a requirement of his religion, he observes as his sabbath or other holy day, including a reasonable time prior and subsequent thereto for travel between his place of employment and his home, provided, however, that any employee intending to be absent from work when so required by his or her creed or religion shall notify his or her employer not less than ten days in advance of each absence, and that any such absence from work shall, wherever practicable in the judgment of the employer, be made up by an equivalent amount of time at some other mutually convenient time. Nothing under this subsection shall be deemed to require an employer to compensate an employee for such absence. ”Reasonable Accommodation”, as used in this subsection shall mean such accommodation to an employee’s or prospective employee’s religious observance or practice as shall not cause undue hardship in the conduct of the employer’s business. The employee shall have the burden of proof as to the required practice of his creed or religion. As used in this subsection, the words ”creed or religion” mean any sincerely held religious beliefs, without regard to whether such beliefs are approved, espoused, prescribed or required by an established church or other religious institution or organization.
Undue hardship, as used herein, shall include the inability of an employer to provide services which are required by and in compliance with all federal and state laws, including regulations or tariffs promulgated or required by any regulatory agency having jurisdiction over such services or where the health or safety of the public would be unduly compromised by the absence of such employee or employees, or where the employee’s presence is indispensable to the orderly transaction of business and his or her work cannot be performed by another employee of substantially similar qualifications during the period of absence, or where the employee’s presence is needed to alleviate an
GL I think is a reference to state law in MA, whereas I think USC would be used for federal.
This is a Massachusetts statute. “GL” is a reference to the General Laws of Massachusetts.
Oh, I see your point. I assumed this was a Masschusetts company, but I see from the post now that it’s not. So we should be looking either at Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,or else at the analogous Wisconsin statute, if there is one.