Nebraska ? About 150 Muslims were fired from a Grand Island meatpacking plant that has been embroiled in a prayer dispute, a Somali-American leader said Friday.

Mohamed Rage, who leads the Omaha Somali-American Community Organization, said 80 workers were thrown out after an altercation late Thursday. He says when they tried to return for their shift Friday, they were fired, along with 70 others.

Muslim workers have been asking for accommodations with break times to allow prayer at sunset. The issue led to walkouts this week – not only from Muslims but from non-Muslims who protested such accommodations as preferential treatment.

JBS Swift & Co. officials have not returned repeated calls seeking comment.

The company said employees can practice their religion so long as they don’t violate their contract or disrupt operations.

Dan Hoppes, president of Local 22 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, described what happened Thursday night differently than Rage did. He said that according to management and employees, 60 to 80 people quit late Thursday after raising the prayer issue and creating a commotion.