In a statement, Shmull said the Palau Embassy in Washington, D.C. and the island nation’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations arranged a fact-finding mission to the Agriprocessors plant.
Shmull said he saw first-hand how Palauan citizens were faring in Postville, Iowa.The Agriprocessors plant was recently raided by federal authorities for employing illegal immigrants.President Tommy Remengesau earlier urged the 150 Palauans being recruited by Agriprocessors not to work at its plant.Palau’s minimum wage is $2.50 an hour while Agriprocessors is offering a starting salary of $10 an hour.In Postville, Shmull, Palau Ambassador to the U.S. Hershey Kyota and Christopher Kitalong, counselor for the Palau U.N. mission, met with Webster Franz, the coordinator for Palauan citizens working at the plant.The Palauan officials toured the processing plant and walk through the procedures that the Palauan workers will be performing there.After the tour of the work site, Shmull met with the plant owner, Moshe Rubashkin, Mayor of Postville Robert O. Penrod and the plant management to inquire about the treatment of the Palauan citizens working at the facility.Shmull told Rubashkin that “as minister of State, it is my duty and responsibility to ensure that every Palauan citizen that has been recruited to work in your processing plant is treated fairly under U.S. labor laws.”Shmull reviewed the insurance policies of the workers and other documents regarding their compensation and working conditions at the plant.Rubashkin assured Shmull that “he would do unto others as he would have them do unto him.”He said plant employees are properly treated and are provided with clean working conditions.Shmull then met with the Palauan employees and reminded them to call the Palau Embassy in Washington, D.C. or its U.N. mission in and New York offices “for any of their needs.”Shmull also inspected the housing facilities offered to the employees.He advised the Palauans that “you are representatives of our country here in the United States, like all other Palauans who have come before you, and I am confident that you will make Palau proud through your hard work.”Under their country’s Compact of Free Association with the U.S., Palauans can reside, study or work anywhere in America and its territories.
