"The arc of the moral universe is long,
but it bends toward justice"
So began the address by the CIW's Lucas Benitez (right) at the May, 2008, joint press conference at the US Capitol announcing the agreement with Burger King. Lucas went on to describe the road ahead toward social responsibility in the US food industry:
"Social responsibility in this country's food industry is inevitable, and though the exploitation of Florida's farmworkers remains unconscionable today, company by company we are building a path toward justice. The next steps are up to those companies that stand before us in the road ahead."
Since that address, six more companies - Whole Foods, Subway, Bon Appétit Co., Compass Group, Aramark and Sodexo - have signed agreements with the CIW, and the focus of the Campaign for Fair Food, with the support of the four largest restaurant companies in the world and the nation's three largest food service providers behind it, has shifted to the supermarket industry. It is now time for Kroger, Ahold (parent company of Stop & Shop & Giant), Trader Joe's and Publix to step up and help us build a world where workers in Florida's fields can enjoy a fair wage and dignified working conditions.
Below are some ideas you can use to bring the Campaign to your community:
Manager Letter |
The next time you visit your local grocery store, take one of the following letters and drop it off with the managers. Express to them your hope that their company will work with the CIW to end exploitation and modern-day slavery in the fields. Downloadable letters:
Click here for a helpful map indicating which of these corporations operate supermarkets in your area. |
Postcards
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Send postcards to the corporate headquarters of Publix, Kroger, Ahold or Chipotle. To request a stack of pre-addressed postcards for yourself, your organization, congregation or friends, please email us at workers@ciw-online.org. Please include your mailing address, which corporation you would like to contact, and how many postcards you would like. |
Educational DVD
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One of the CIW's mottoes is "Consciousness + Commitment = Change." You can help create consciousness in your community about the conditions in the fields and the important changes being created by the CIW's Campaign for Fair Food by screening a DVD about our struggle. Email us to receive a free DVD and other organizing materials including articles, fact sheets, postcards stickers and more. |
