Meatpacker fined $10 million

IOWA CITY, Iowa, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Agriprocessors Inc., a kosher meatpacking plant in Iowa, faces nearly $10 million in civil penalties for violating state wage laws, officials said Wednesday.

The violations allegedly occurred at the Postville, Iowa, plant between Jan. 1, 2006, and June 30 of this year, The Des Moines (Iowa) Register reported.

"Once again, Agriprocessors has demonstrated a complete disregard for Iowa law," Iowa Labor Commissioner Dave Neil said in a prepared statement. "This continued course of violations is a black mark on Iowa's business community."

Scott Frotman, spokesman for the United Food and Commercial Workers, said the slaughter of cattle has been discontinued at the plant since Monday.

Among the fines and violations were $339,700 for illegally deducting "sales tax/miscellaneous" costs 3,397 times. The state said 1,073 Agriprocessors employees had unauthorized deductions, reducing their pay by $72,189.09. The company was also fined $4,900 for failing to pay 42 workers their last paychecks on May 16 and May 23 following the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid in early May.

Agriprocessors has 30 days to contest the proposed penalties in writing or they become final, the newspaper reported.