UT Student/Farmers Alliance holds rally against Wendy’s
The UT Student/Farmworker Alliance held a rally Wednesday to protest Wendy’s refusal to join the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Fair Food Program, which would have Wendy’s pay farmworkers a penny more per pound of tomatoes. In addition, the FFP would hold Wendy’s responsible for ensuring its Florida tomato suppliers maintain a certain level of humane labor conditions for farmworkers.
The rally gathered outside the Wendy’s in the Texas Union and marched to the Wendy’s in Jester, where the alliance gave a letter requesting Wendy’s join the FFP to two waiting Wendy’s employees at both locations, who wished to remain anonymous.
“The FFP guarantees rights never before seen for Florida farmworkers, such as rights to shade and rest breaks from their grueling work and zero tolerance for sexual harassment and modern slavery,” the national Student/Farmworkers Alliance letter read. “Since 2011, participating buyers have paid more than $15 million through the FFP, constituting the first pay increase for workers in over 30 years.”
Wendy’s spokesman Bob Bertini said it is not necessary for Wendy’s to join the FFP, as Wendy’s does not work directly with farmworkers.
Read more: http://www.dailytexanonline.com/2015/10/01/ut-studentfarmers-alliance-holds-rally-against-wendy%E2%80%99s
Cross-posted in Omaha Steve's Labor Group.
