“A CONVERSATION ABOUT FLORIDA TOMATOES. Wendy’s had ceased buying winter tomatoes from Florida and was importing most of that supply from Mexican farms, where forced labor and physical abuse are common. Their description of the Mexican fields is “muy mal,” very bad and inhumane. This section contains a selection of key portals curated by our global team. Just a few years ago, the situation for workers in Florida's tomato farms was so bad that one federal prosecutor called Florida "Ground-zero for modern slavery." Mr. Bertini stated “Slavery in any form is abhorrent and we do not support that in any way, in any form period.” He also added “If slavery exists in any condition, then the authorities should prosecute and fully pursue it. Company behaviour in Mexico during COVID-19, COVID-19: Spike in allegations of labour abuse against migrant workers in the Gulf. Find out more about our impact, who we are and how we are funded. We lined up on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant with a 30-foot-long banner that stated, “Wendy’s Stop the Exploitation, Join the Fair Food Program.”, Customers did not turn away or stop driving into the parking lot, but when they sat at the outdoor dining area, they would shout out, “What’s wrong with Wendy’s?”.

After ten years of appealing to Wendy’s corporate leadership, in 2015 the CIW discovered that Wendy’s decided to quit purchasing their tomatoes from Florida growers. They chose Mexico to avoid the penny-per-pound increase to the Florida farm workers, preferring that their suppliers pay workers 20% of what American migrant workers earn… an Orwellian reaction to American farm workers. With the implementation of the Fair Food Program, we're now on the verge of eliminating slavery in Florida's tomato fields. You can unsub at any time here. By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service. Companies that join the program agree to pay the extra … CIW is demanding an added fee on top of the … Adopted the Fair Food Code of Conduct 2. It’s the world’s third largest fast food hamburger chain, servicing millions of customers annually. It is only right. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre Registered Charity in England & Wales no.

The Wendy’s leadership serves the public a corporate burger, and since it is made-to-order…they can add an extra tomato slice of slavery. It is managed and controlled by a multibillion dollar asset management firm, Trian Partners based in New York City, whose main motivation is shareholder profit above all, even human, costs. Wendy’s has more than 6,500 franchises in the US alone. You Care. The group is officially calling for a boycott, and they kicked off the effort with a 10-day Workers’ Voice tour earlier this month.. If Wendy's follows the lead of McDonald's, Subway, Burger King and Taco Bell, their immense purchasing power could help bring the last 10% of farms to the table and ensure the tomato industry never sees another case of modern slavery. Freelance journalist Evan Davis captured a discussion in 2013 between advocates and farm workers with Wendy’s spokesperson Bob Bertini. Wendy’s, however, continues withhold its support, and in a recent statement argued they do not believe that “joining the Fair Food Program is the only way to act responsibly”. Agreed to implement a system of health and safety volunteers, which affords workers regular and structured input into the safety of their work environment 3. On Anti-Slavery Day: Is the UK Modern Slavery Act the best way to tackle modern slavery? Agreed to an independent and … At least that is what many in Columbus believe. Throughout the struggle for farm worker justice, many strikes have been held to protest, remove poor crew bosses, and demand basic amenities to accommodate workers in the fields.

Perhaps most memorably, people think of Dave Thomas as the philanthropist that advocated for adoption, and as an infant was adopted himself. Alongside its core work providing a platform for Human Rights advocates, the Resource Centre runs several focused programme areas and regularly releases briefings and reports on areas of particular interest. Boycotts are a direct appeal to the public to cease commercial activity with a business. The petition asked that Wendy’s join the Fair Food Program. 1096664 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in USA. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has Wendy’s—the world’s third largest hamburger chain—in its crosshairs. They hoard the penny-per-pound and taint their fruit with the pains and misery of low wage slavery.

Disclaimer: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre and its collaborative partners take no position on the diverse views presented in linked material within the database, nor can we guarantee the factual accuracy of all the articles and reports we make available. They refuse to pay the single penny more per pound to comply with the agreement but lack an audit trail to support their claims. Europe’s new law to end corporate abuse should learn from Obama's legacy. It is necessary to reiterate the reason that larger and larger groups of farm workers and consumers demand that Wendy’s join the Fair Food Program. But only 20 to 25 percent of tomatoes in the United States are purchased from growers that take part in the program... ... Wendy’s had ceased buying winter tomatoes from Florida and was importing most of that supply from Mexican farms, where forced labor and physical abuse are common. A group of employees known as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is calling for a boycott of the hamburger titan, kicking off a demonstration to communicate its displeasure with a 12-day Workers’ Voice tour earlier this month.. … In the coming years, the Immokalee workers hope to bring their model to a variety of crops in many states, where tens of thousands of workers are still vulnerable to abuses... Events | Jobs | Media | Data Usage & Cookies | Contact Us. All of the Florida tomatoes purchased by Wendy’s supply chain cooperative come from suppliers who participate in the Fair Food Program, which means they have: 1. The FFS outlines a core of basic workers’ rights, including the prohibition of physical and sexual abuse, wage theft, and reasonable demands of water, shade, respect and human rights in the fields; Farm workers are asking Wendy’s customers to boycott the “family style” fast food restaurant. Five years ago, five activists and I set up a protest action at the Wendy’s restaurant located on South High Street in Columbus, Ohio. The CIW will be in Columbus on June 5, 2018 to speak at the Wendy’s shareholder meeting. Wendy’s was named after the daughter of the founder, Dave Thomas.

The Coalition has engaged in only two boycotts, first against Taco Bell, and more than ten years later, Wendy’s. Wendy’s purchases from growers in Mexico that enslave and abduct employees and families.