Report back: Calls flood into New York offices of Wendy’s Board Chairman Nelson Peltz…

Posted on by Coalition of Immokalee Workers

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Consumers to Wendy’s leadership:  “Wendy’s needs to join the ranks of all the other fast food companies that have already joined the Fair Food Program…”

In the final week of January, we called on the Fair Food Nation to flood the office of Wendy’s Board Chairman Nelson Peltz with phone calls, urging the fast-food giant’s most powerful shareholder to recognize his personal responsibility for Wendy’s immoral stand against “one of the great human rights success stories of our day,” exercise his leadership, and move Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program without further delay.

And, as usual, the Fair Food Nation did not disappoint!  From Canada to California and the Carolinas, consumers picked up their phones on January 27th and called into Mr. Peltz’s Park Avenue office.  Whether they were university students, grandmothers or rabbis, countless callers sent a singular message to Wendy’s leadership:  It is high time to join the Fair Food Program — and you’re not going to stop hearing from us until you do.

The call-in was so successful, in fact, that many callers had to try twice or even three times before they could get through the busy signal.  Here in Immokalee, we ourselves spent the day receiving calls, emails, tweets and texts from Fair Food allies excitedly reporting on their conversations with Mr. Peltz’s representatives.  Here are just a few of the highlights:

Marie: “I called Nelson Peltz today, and based my message on your helpful script. I emphasized that I was repelled by his failure to support human rights for the people who produce what he profits from, and explained that I’m from Canada, which has Wendy’s. I said I wouldn’t take my grandkids to Wendy’s and I’d tell them why –failure of attention to essential human rights. I told his receptionist that my faith community may be interested in potential involvement.  Muchas gracias for giving me the chance to support the brave people of the CIW.”

Alissa:  “Just called in and left a message mainly using the script provided, just basically adding a few sentences about me and why this campaign matters and they won’t stop hearing from me until Wendy’s signs! Can’t wait to see all the actions and the Workers Voice Tour coming up!”

Debbie:  I just now called Nelson Peltz and left a message. Gave my name and town/state, saying there was a Wendy’s just down the street from me, but until and unless it joined the Fair Food Program, I would never be a customer. I also told her I had just retired, and since I now had some extra time, was in the process of letting all of my neighbors know the situation as well to encourage them to go elsewhere. Finally, I said that I felt Wendy’s needed to join the ranks of all the other fast food companies that have already joined the Fair Food Program.

For what it’s worth, the woman who took the message seemed pretty overwhelmed, as if she had been taking an awful lot of messages already. I’d called numerous times, gotten a busy signal, and only just got through.”

Consumers didn’t only let us know, however, that they had called into Mr. Peltz’s office.  Social media lit up with calls to action and reportbacks alike on the big call-in day:

And that’s a wrap… for the call-in, at least!  Don’t forget that starting today — and continuing throughout Valentine’s Day Weekend — allies across the Fair Food Nation will be sending up short videos to Wendy’s on social media.  Make sure to join many other consumers across the country in sharing your own break up message with Wendy’s over the course of the next two days!