Mar. 14, 2005 – A Dell, Inc. plant in Nashville fired 30 Muslim workers after they walked off the job in protest last month because, they say, the company refused to let them pray at sunset. The mostly Somali workers and their employer, a temporary labor agency that contracts with the plant, are now taking the dispute to mediation.
Spokespeople for both Dell computers and Spherion Corp., the labor agency involved, told the reporters that the dispute is still being investigated.
Muslim workers at other companies have voiced similar complaints. Electrolux Home Products in St. Cloud, Minnesota, settled a federal complaint in 2003 for denying Muslim workers the right to break for sunset prayers.
