Muslims, Dell dispute breaks for prayers

Thirty Muslims, most of them from Somalia, walked off the job at Dell Inc. because they say the company refused to let them take a break for prayer at sunset.

The Muslim workers, who were packaging computers at Dell through a temporary labor agency, are taking the dispute to mediation, both sides said Friday. The workers include Abdi Halane, above left, and Hassan Ahmed.

Abdirizak Hassan, executive director of the Somali Community Center of Nashville, said the workers walked out of the company’s Nashville, Tenn., plant Feb. 4 because they were not allowed to pray.

The mediation will be handled by the city’s Human Relations Commission. Kelvin Jones, executive director of the commission, said his staff has interviewed the workers, who are expected to file formal complaints by early next week.

Muslims are required by their faith to pray five times a day. Most of the prayer times are flexible, but the sunset prayers must be said at dusk.

Economy

Consumer confidence rises on job prospects

Consumer confidence, which had plunged sharply in February, jumped by the largest amount in seven months in early March as Americans were heartened by a big surge in hiring.

The AP-Ipsos consumer confidence index rose to 84.2 in early March, a gain of 6.4 percent from a February reading of 79.1. It was the largest one-month gain since a 13.9 percent rise last August.

The March rebound came from stronger confidence about current economic conditions, job prospects and personal finances. The survey was taken the first three days of this week, following the news last Friday that the economy created 262,000 jobs last month, the best showing in four months.

Development

Reser’s to build Topeka potato plant

A new potato processing plant opening by Sept. 1 will employ 60 people at the start, reaching up to 100 in its first year of operation.

Reser’s Fine Foods is putting up the new building on the site of a former Farmland plant in Topeka that’s been demolished.

Tony Kunis, Reser’s general manager, said Thursday that about $22 million is being invested in land, plant and equipment. The company is getting incentives of $400 per job for up to 100 jobs from the Go Topeka economic development organization. The state also is providing other incentives.

Reser’s has had operations in Topeka since 1991 and now employs 550 at its three plants, a distribution center and a truck shop. The company operates 15 plants and expects the new Topeka plant to push sales above $500 million, from last year’s $450 million.