Latest news with #Jandali
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
Worker says she was pushed to falsify safety records and saw employees lose limbs at Trump-aligned meatpacking plant
A Colorado woman working for the world's largest meatpacking company – and major Trump supporter – claims supervisors pressured her to falsify safety records while workers were regularly losing fingers and limbs due to inadequate training. Salima Jandali, an aspiring police officer who speaks three languages and has a Bachelor's degree in political science and anthropology from the University of Northern Colorado, says her supervisor regularly denigrated her as a 'stupid Arab' and forced her and others to work without proper protective equipment. When Jandali, 31, complained to management about what she saw as dangerous shortcomings at the JBS USA beef processing plant in Greeley, roughly 50 miles north of Denver, her locker was vandalized, her Islamic prayer beads were thrown in the trash and she was forced out of her job. That's according to a federal lawsuit filed by Jandali, which describes her experience at JBS as 'a disturbing example of systematic workplace discrimination and retaliation against… a Muslim woman and Moroccan immigrant who refused to participate in her employer's illegal, dangerous, and exploitative practices.' Once she left, Jandali 'never wanted to look back,' she told The Independent. Jandali said she witnessed a newly arrived Burmese immigrant get his arm amputated by a processing-floor machine, saw others lose digits and that accidental stabbings with hooks and knives were commonplace. The company constantly said it was short-staffed, and cut corners on safety protocols to make up for it, according to Jandali. However, she went on, many of the new hires didn't speak English and JBS lacked any translation services to help them understand what they were being told to do. 'They didn't want to complete the classes for new employees, and the retaliation began when I started speaking out,' she said. 'I just want to show the world how corrupt they are, and hopefully this is going to raise awareness so people know the truth about what's going on in there.' Salima Jandali says she was harassed endlessly for speaking out over cut corners at JBS USA, which led to lost limbs and amputated digits for workers. (Provided) In a statement provided to The Independent, attorney Helen Oh, who is representing Jandali in the case, said, 'No employee should have to choose between their integrity and livelihood.' A JBS spokesperson did not respond to The Independent's requests for comment. Multinational food company JBS, which, via a subsidiary, was the single biggest donor to Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration, 'continually prioritized production over worker safety,' leading to horrific injuries in pursuit of maximum profit, Jandali's complaint alleges. In 2021, JBS was cited and fined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration after a worker at its Greeley plant got stuck in a conveyor belt and his left arm was severed clean off – which Jandali watched happen. That same year, another worker in Greeley died when he fell into a vat of chemicals due to an improperly installed piece of machinery. In 2023, an employee at a JBS plant in Wisconsin lost two fingers while processing a cattle carcass, and in May, a worker at a JBS facility in Arizona died from blunt-force injuries after being crushed between a forklift and a front-end loader. On Monday, 20 workers at a JBS plant in Port Arthur, Texas were hospitalized after they were exposed to potentially toxic levels of carbon monoxide and methane gas. Beyond horrific workplace injuries, JBS has also been accused by employees of myriad other abuses, including human trafficking. In 2017, the Brazilian government levied a $3.2 billion fine against the multinational's parent company in a sprawling bribery case that extended all the way up to then-President Michel Temer. The company settled one previous lawsuit for $5.5 million by Muslim workers at JBS' Greeley plant who said they were discriminated against for their religious beliefs. Jandali speaks three languages, has a college degree, and is hoping to become a police officer. She says conditions at JBS USA's Greeley, Colorado were so bad, she was left with depression, PTSD and worse (Getty Images) Jandali was born in Rabat, Morocco, and moved to the United States when she was a child. Fluent in English, Arabic and French, Jandali began working for JBS in August 2019, at the company's Greeley facility, conducting mandatory safety training for new hires and production employees working on the meat processing floor. In 2023, Jandali's supervisor began to hurl racial and religious slurs at her 'on a regular basis… often calling her a 'stupid Muslim' or 'stupid Arab,'' according to her complaint, which was filed June 11 in Colorado federal court. The harassment escalated as the year progressed, the complaint contends, describing 'repeated degradation and intimidation of Ms. Jandali by throwing away [her]... work boots and hard hat.' 'On at least 25 occasions, Ms. Jandali arrived [at] work to find her safety equipment strewn about, missing, or in the trash,' the complaint goes on. 'Without proper equipment, Ms. Jandali was prohibited from taking new hires to the processing floor pursuant to safety protocols,' the complaint states. Federal law requires production employees to complete 100 percent of their safety training prior to working on the processing floor, the complaint explains, Yet, it says, throughout Jandali's time at JBS, 'supervisors routinely put production employees to work on the floor when they had not completed all required safety training.' 'Many production employees were non-English speakers who needed interpreters to understand and complete the trainings,' the complaint states. 'While Ms. Jandali could translate and interpret for French and Arabic-speaking employees on her shift, this was highly insufficient to address the language needs for trainings across shifts.' Jandali said she witnessed a recent immigrant from Myanmar lose an arm while working with dangerous machinery on the processing floor. Now she's suing over what she claims were egregious safety violations, among a host of other serious complaints (AFP via Getty Images) Jandali raised the issue repeatedly, telling higher-ups that the practice was putting people in danger, the complaint continues. In response, Jandali was told that any problems were her fault, and that if she couldn't get everyone trained adequately, 'then this was not the job for her,' according to the complaint. The company's demands became more aggressive over time, and the pressure on Jandali intensified, the complaint alleges. In May 2024, she was instructed to falsify training records for employees who had not attended their assigned sessions, the complaint maintains. 'Ms. Jandali objected and explained that production employees were suffering serious injuries, including losing limbs, and safety protocols needed to be followed,' the complaint states, adding that '[h]er concerns were completely ignored.' Days later, Jandali reported the situation to upper-level managers, according to the complaint. Soon, it says, Jandali began to experience fierce blowback over her ongoing concerns. 'On May 28, 2024, Ms. Jandali arrived at work to find her workplace locker damaged, with the corner bent and unable to close properly,' the complaint alleges. 'She found her Tasbih (Islamic prayer beads) in the trash, along with her other personal belongings. Ms. Jandali was horrified, deeply hurt, and feared for her safety.' Jandali then went to HR to file a formal grievance but, despite their promises, the complaint claims she 'never received any follow up or resolution.' Jandali hopes to become a police officer, and said that once she left JBS, she 'never wanted to look back' (Provided) The conditions at JBS had been getting progressively worse for Jandali in other ways, as well. When her father needed heart surgery, Jandali requested family leave to help him, and was approved, the complaint states. However, while she was out, HR 'falsely' informed her that her paperwork had never been received and terminated her employment, it says. Following a grievance Jandali filed with the union, which included a paper trail proving her side of the story, she was reinstated, according to the complaint. Still, upon returning to work, Jandali found herself locked out of her company email and unable to access her online work drive, training materials and classrooms, the complaint states. Nearly six weeks later, the complaint says Jandali finally regained access to her email account, but found that 'all of her prior emails with years of accumulated training information [had been] deleted.' In June 2024, Jandali requested a three-month medical leave to deal with 'worsening depression, anxiety and [post-traumatic stress disorder] caused by JBS's retaliation and harassment,' the complaint states. Three weeks later, it says she got a call from HR demanding she return to work in seven days or else she would be fired. Jandali appealed, and state regulators forced JBS to keep her on the payroll. However, when she finally got back, the situation she continued to endure, on top of 'months of unaddressed harassment, retaliation and pressure to engage in illegal conduct,' was too much to take, the complaint states. On September 9, 2024, facing the exact same issues as before, Jandali resigned. Beyond her depression, anxiety and PTSD, Jandali's complaint says her time at JBS caused 'debilitating physical symptoms including insomnia, frequent nightmares, inability to concentrate and extreme fatigue,' the complaint states. 'These conditions have transformed her from a vibrant, active and outgoing person into someone who struggles with basic daily functioning and experiences profound emotional numbness.' Jandali is now seeking economic damages, including front pay and back pay, compensatory damages for emotional pain, suffering and mental anguish, as well as punitive damages, plus interest, attorneys' fees and court costs.
Arab News
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Riyadh's Ahlam Gallery hosts group show ‘Stories in the Making'
RIYADH: 'This is a group exhibition, created by a community of eclectic artists to exchange, talk, collaborate and build a connection in a healthy environment,' Dr. Ahlam Alshedouky, founder of Ahlam Gallery in Riyadh, tells Arab News. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Alshedoukhy is discussing 'Stories in the Making,' a collection of 36 works by local and international artists which runs at the gallery until March 31. Approximately half of the participating artists were pre-selected for their unique stories, while the rest joined through an open call. A post shared by Ahlam Gallery - أحلام جاليري (@ 'Most of these works were created in the last year; one of the criteria is to present something new,' Alshedoukhy explains, adding that the exhibition puts 'big lights on the artist's journey and artist's story.' Jeddah-based Salah Jandali, founder of JZB Studio, says he created 'functional art' for the exhibition — essentially four stools and a small table — that he hopes people will use to sit and reflect, or engage in conversation with others. The furniture blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design. 'Weaving was part of our daily lives. Today, it has become more of a decoration,' Jandali tells Arab News. 'This affects demand — if people aren't interested in this craft and no one works with it, over time, it will disappear.' But he believes that it 'will gradually become widely accepted again.' A post shared by Ahlam Gallery - أحلام جاليري (@ The designer sought out artisans to create the pieces. He collaborated with a palm weaver in Al-Ahsa, who worked from her home farm dyeing the palm fronds to match Jandali's requirements. He also partnered with a carpenter known for intricate craftsmanship reminiscent of Japanese joinery. Bringing together techniques from both the east and west coasts, the work now comes full circle in the center of the Kingdom, Riyadh. Abdullah Alkhorayef's work for the exhibition, 'The Origins,' explores where the designs for Saudi traditional clothing came from. Finding no concrete answers, he instead created his own version of the evolution of traditional wear in the region. 'I decided to start at my own zero point, which is today,' he told Arab News. A post shared by Ahlam Gallery - أحلام جاليري (@ 'The Origins' comprises an installation made of black cotton linen featuring geometrical shapes that explore the origins of clothing, and a number of silkscreen prints on paper depicting the geometrical forms used. The shapes within the black cotton linen installation were created by folding and sewing a simple rectangle in ways that cover the body. Each piece adds onto the previous one: so a simple draped cloth acquires an arm hole, then is divided in various ways — horizontally, vertically, and diagonally — combining mathematical and engineering concepts, to create garments that could be worn by humans. Those shapes were then translated into visual compositions using the silkscreen technique and form an alphabet-like system that is personal to the artist, as if creating his own language for clothing. 'It all starts with simple shapes,' he says. 'With all the chaos in the past 40 or 50 years, we lost the reasoning behind anything. With this exhibition, because of the cultural boom happening in Saudi, I just wanted to throw in a question for people to ask, challenge, and research.' Saudi artist Zainab Abo Hussain's tapestry 'A Tide Once Near, Now Drifted to Memory' is an ode to her ancestry inspired by Islamic miniature painting, textiles and innovative construction techniques, as well as her own life. 'Childhood memories of my grandmother, who led our family while my grandfather (was) at work in remote areas, are a significant source of inspiration,' she says. 'Evenings spent gathered around her, listening to her captivating stories, are cherished moments.' The work aims to honor her grandmother by reimagining these narratives through contemporary miniature painting and manuscript art. 'Henna nights, in particular, provided precious opportunities for connection and storytelling,' Hussain continues. 'These experiences deeply influenced my desire to capture and preserve such memories through my art.'
