AMERICAN LABOUR:

THAT'S ONE MEAN TACO:

The following comes Molly's way from the American Rights at Work coalition.

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"Food with integrity.":
That's what Chipotle – America's fastest-growing fast-food restaurant – vows to serve in its restaurants.

Tell that to the Florida farmworkers who pick many of Chipotle's tomatoes. They have one of the worst jobs in America, with sub-poverty wages, back-breaking labor, and unimaginable exploitation.

Click here to urge Chipotle's CEO Steve Ells take a stand for Florida farmworkers.

In spite of its "food with integrity" pledge condemning the "exploitation of animals, farmers, or the environment," Chipotle refuses to partner with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which represents farmworkers, to help improve their working conditions.

More than two dozen leading writers, organizers, filmmakers, and farmers have called on Chipotle to do the right thing. The list includes Eric Schlosser, writer and director of Fast Food Nation; Frances Moore Lappe, author of Diet for a Small Planet; and Robert Kenner, director of the new hard-hitting documentary Food, Inc.

Add your name: Call on Chipotle to partner with Florida farmworkers and end the exploitation.

In the past, American Rights at Work activists helped put pressure on big companies like McDonald's, Burger King, and the parent company of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut – convincing them to commit to a raise for Florida farmworkers: an extra penny per pound of picked tomatoes.

Chipotle has also agreed to pay an extra penny per pound. Now, with your help, we can achieve an even greater victory: a huge chain pushing for real justice for these workers.

Tell Chipotle to live up to its promise and partner with the Florida farmworkers in its supply chain.

The average farmworker puts in a 10 hour day in the scorching Florida sun and must pick two and a half TONS of produce a day to earn $50 – that's only $10,000 per year. As major buyers, companies like Chipotle have a responsibility to exert their influence and give a fair deal to the workers who help boost their bottom lines.

End the exploitation: tell Chipotle's CEO to partner with Florida farmworkers now! Then, ask all your friends to do the same.
Thanks you for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo

American Rights at Work

http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/
P.S. Click here to check out the open letter signed by two dozen leaders of the sustainable food movement demanding that Chipotle be "a true partner in the protection of farmworkers' rights." Then, add your name.

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THE LETTER:

Click on one of the links above or CLICK HERE to sign the following open letter to Chipotle CEO Steve Ells.

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We write with admiration for your efforts to create a socially just and environmentally responsible restaurant chain. We applaud your goal of sourcing "food with integrity," food that's "unprocessed, seasonal, family-farmed, sustainable, nutritious, naturally raised, added hormone free, organic, and artisanal." Chipotle points the way to a new business model for national-scale restaurant chains: rather than scouring the globe for the cheapest commodities, restaurants should source in a region-appropriate way - bolstering and not undercutting regional food production networks.

Yet for us, naturally raised meat - important as it is - does not trump decently treated human beings. We are outraged by the working and living conditions in the Immokalee area of Florida, source of some 90 percent of the winter tomatoes consumed in the United States. We see Immokalee as a stark example of the vast power discrepancies in our food system. In the winter-tomato market, a small number of very large buyers dictate terms to the seven or eight entities that control land in tomato country; those growers, in turn, squeeze the workers in brutal fashion. Real wages have fallen dramatically in Immokalee over the decades and now hover well below poverty level; housing conditions would not be out of place in apartheid-era South Africa. These are the normal conditions experienced by thousands of workers in south Florida. No one can be surprised that in some extreme cases, right now, some of the people who pick our tomatoes are living in what can only be called modern-day slavery: held against their will and forced to harvest tomatoes without pay. In this context, Chipotle cannot claim the same integrity for the tomatoes it serves as it does for its meat, much less guarantee its customers that the tomatoes in its burritos were not picked by slaves.
We realize that Chipotle has announced that it's paying an extra penny per pound for tomatoes, but we have to ask: What has Chipotle done since that announcement to identify and cultivate growers who are willing to raise their labor standards and pass the penny along to their workers? Your company has shown admirable leadership in working with - and incubating - meat suppliers willing to meet your higher standards. But your failure to do that same hard work in the Florida tomato industry - together with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) - threatens to render your announcement an empty gesture aimed more at public relations damage control than an effort to make real change.




We view the CIW's struggle for dignity as a non-negotiable part of the struggle for a sustainable food system. Therefore, we strongly urge you to enter into an agreement with this worker-led organization that has been fighting tirelessly to improve conditions in tomato country since 1993. As you know, the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange has acted to block the penny-per-pound raise agreed to by McDonald's, Yum Brands, Burger King and others, by threatening to fine any grower who cooperates with the buyers and the CIW. The extra penny paid out by these companies now sits in an escrow account, and workers in the fields continue making the same dismal wage. The growers clearly fear the power tomato pickers have galvanized through the efforts of the CIW and Chipotle's refusal to sign an agreement with the CIW only bolsters the growers' intransigence.





Last month, another national-scale food company with a social mission, Bon Appetit, signed a far-reaching deal with CIW that goes well beyond the penny per pound raise. We urge you to study the CIW-Bamco agreement and step up your efforts to identify growers - big or small - who will work with you to make "food with integrity" truly "fair food."





If Chipotle is sincere in its wishes to reform its supply chain, the time has come to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers as a true partner in the protection of farmworkers rights.
Respectfully,
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MORE:
The main force behind the drive to improve conditions of farm labour in Florida is the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Here is more from their website about the hypocrisy of Chipotle.
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HYPOCRISY AND CHIPOCRICY:
Dictionary:
hy·poc·ri·sy
1. The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.
Dictionary:
Chi·poc·ri·sy...
6/22/09: The phenomenon known as "Chipocrisy" was in the news this past week, beginning with the June 15th open letter by more than two dozen leading sustainable food activists calling on Chipotle to live up to its claims of "Food with Integrity" and "work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers as a true partner in the protection of farmworkers' rights."





But it didn't stop there. Also last week, the ABC news show "Nightline" did a piece on Chipotle's relationship with Polyface Farms, a model sustainable farm in Virginia that, in the words of owner Joel Salatin, "fully respects and honors the pigness of the pig." (Believe it or not these flac runners say things like this all the time with a totally straight face-Molly)





In the same Nightline story, Chipotle CEO Steve Ells professed, "I think it's really important that people know where their food comes from. I mean we spend a lot of time researching the very best sources, so that when people go to Chipotle, they can rest assured they are getting the very best food."





Really? The Nightline piece, while valuable for shedding light on Mr. Salatin's admirable operation, was incomplete, and therefore deeply flawed. By allowing Mr. Ells to effectively direct the spotlight, the story revealed only that part of Chipotle's supply chain that the company wished to showcase, creating the impression of an ethical restaurant company that indeed earns its claim to "Food with Integrity."





If, however, Nightline had only turned that same spotlight on the fields where Chipotle's tomatoes are picked, perhaps it would have found that the "humanness" of the men and women who pick those tomatoes isn't afforded the same honor or respect.





This might be a good moment to quote a relevant passage from last week's impeccably-timed sustainable food movement letter to Mr. Ells:





"... (F)or us, naturally raised meat – important as it is – does not trump decently treated human beings... Your company has shown admirable leadership in working with – and incubating – meat suppliers willing to meet your higher standards. But your failure to do that same hard work in the Florida tomato industry – together with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) – threatens to render your announcement an empty gesture aimed more at public relations damage control than an effort to make real change."

Chipotle's failure to live up to the virtues it professes to hold dear was not lost, however, on one Denver-based blogger last week. Writing on the Denver Fair Food blog, "Robert" noted that, on its corporate website, Chipotle strongly recommends that its customers read Eric Schlosser's hard-hitting analysis of the fast-food industry's ills, "Fast Food Nation". The contradiction was too much to stomach for the Fair Food blogger, who undoes Chipotle's claims to sustainability using a series of quotes by none other than Mr. Schlosser himself. His conclusion is withering, and it shall be our conclusion here as well:





"... It’s abundantly obvious. Quoting Eric again: 'the exploitation of farm workers should not be tolerated in Florida. It should not be tolerated anywhere in the United States. There are many social problems that are extremely difficult to solve. This is not one of them.' Plain and simple, the solution is for Chipotle to work in partnership with the CIW. That’s been Eric’s demand of fast-food companies for a long time and that’s his demand explicitly of Chipotle today.





It’s funny really, Chipotle isn’t listening to the guy that Chipotle recommends everyone listen to. Chipotle’s “further reading” is demanding that Chipotle go further, and yet Chipotle refuses to take its own advice. This is a phenomenon that’s become so common place we have a name for it: Chipocrisy.
That’s the thing about further reading – sometimes you end up eating your words."
Read the Denver Fair Food blog post in its entirety here.

AMERICAN LABOUR-FLORIDA:
PETITION THE GOVERNOR:
The following appeal is from the Coalition of Immokalee Workers via the United Students Against Sweatshops. The latest news(not mentioned in the article below), as of 2 days ago is that the Governor of Florida has indeed agreed to meet with the Coalition, but your emails are still needed to show the Governor's office how much support the Coalition has.
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Tell Florida Governor Crist to Take a Stand Against Slavery!:
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is calling on Florida Governor Charlie Crist to commit the full power of his office to address the plague of modern-day slavery in Florida's fields. Add your voice to this call and send an email or fax to the governor today!





Background:
Just this past December, federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice wrapped up yet another farm labor slavery case in Florida, a case the Chief Assistant US Attorney called one of Southwest Florida's biggest, ugliest slavery cases ever. This became the seventh such slavery case in ten years, involving a total of well over 1,000 workers.





Yet, when a reporter called Governor Crist's office about this most recent case, the governor declined to comment and instead passed the call off to the spokesperson for Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Terrence McElroy, who -- not once, but twice -- gave the impression that one slavery case per year is somehow no cause for alarm.





For decades, the silence of Florida's governors in the face of the brutal exploitation of the state's farmworkers has allowed that exploitation -- up to and including modern-day slavery -- to persist.





Join farmworkers and consumers from across Florida and the US in telling Governor Crist that now is the time to break the silence and ensure that this latest slavery case is the last slavery case ever in Florida's fields.





The letter not only calls on Governor Crist to publicly condemn the continuing existence of modern-day slavery, but also to demand that the Florida Tomato Growers' Exchange end its efforts to nullify the agreements reached between the CIW and leading fast-food and supermarket purchasers of Florida tomatoes to improve farmworker wages and working conditions, the conditions that provide the fertile soil in which modern-day slavery takes root.





We will be collecting signatures, both here in Immokalee and across the country, during the month of February. If there is no response, we plan to deliver the signatures with a creative action in Tallahassee in the month of March. Stay tuned for more details on the petition in the weeks ahead, and in the meantime you can help us gather more signatures among your friends and co-workers, at your school or place of worship!
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THE LETTER:
Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to Governor Crist of Florida.
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Subject:
Governor Crist: Take a Stand Against Slavery!
Dear [ Decision Maker ],
In December of last year, federal prosecutors from the Department of Justice wrapped up yet another farm labor slavery case in Florida, a case the Chief Assistant US Attorney called one of Southwest Florida's biggest and ugliest slavery cases ever, according to the Ft. Myers News-Press. I am writing today to demand that you use every resource at your command to ensure that it be the last slavery case ever in Florida's fields.




This latest case in which, according to court documents, workers were chained to poles, locked inside trucks, beaten, and robbed of their pay was the seventh such case in just over a decade. Indeed, so shameful is Florida's record of farm labor abuse that another federal prosecutor was prompted to call the state ground zero for modern-day slavery in the pages of the New Yorker magazine. Yet, when a reporter called your office for a comment on the most recent case, you declined to comment and instead passed the call off to the spokesperson for Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Terrence McElroy, who gave the impression that one slavery case per year is somehow no cause for alarm. Given an opportunity to clarify his statement, Mr. McElroy only underscored his disregard for the victims of this most brutal of human rights violations, terming seven slavery cases in ten years, involving well over 1,000 workers, a rarity. His comments rightly set off a groundswell of outraged reactions by human rights, religious, consumer, and labor organizations and leaders across the country.




Governor Crist, even a single case of slavery in the twenty-first century is too many. As the leader of the state and the single most powerful voice for the protection of every Floridian's fundamental human rights, you must repudiate the words of your spokesperson, and do so with no further delay.




But you must do more than that. The key to ending farm labor slavery is to eliminate the degrading and inhumane working conditions faced by all Florida farmworkers on a daily basis, as these conditions are what allow slavery to flourish. The everyday exploitation of Florida's farmworkers includes:

-Sub-poverty wages - Tomato pickers make, on average, only $10,000/year;
-No raise in nearly 30 years
- Pickers are paid virtually the same per-bucket piece rate (roughly 45 cents per 32 lb. bucket) today as they were in 1980. At today's rate, workers have to pick nearly 2.5 TONS of tomatoes just to earn minimum wage for a typical 10-hr day;
-Denial of fundamental labor rights - Farmworkers in Florida have no right to overtime pay, even when working 60-70 hour weeks, and no right to organize or
bargain collectively.

You must do everything in your power to ensure an end to those conditions and help lay the groundwork for a future of dignified wages and humane working conditions for farmworkers. Specifically, I join my voice to that of thousands of other concerned consumers of Florida produce to call upon you to:




1. Publicly condemn the existence of modern-day slavery in Florida;
2. Commit the full power of your office to immediately and comprehensively address the plague of abuse and modern-day slavery in Florida's fields by:
a) meeting with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and federal officials who prosecute slavery, and
b) demanding that the Florida Tomato Growers Exchange renounce its opposition to implementing the agreements that socially responsible fast food and supermarket companies have signed to insure better pay and working conditions for tomato pickers, so as to eliminate the conditions that give rise to slavery.
Thank you.

STUDENT MOVEMENT:

SUPPORT HUNGER STRIKING STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA:

The following appeal comes via the United Students Against Sweatshops, even though it concerns an effort on the part of the Students for a Democratic Society. Go HERE to read more and join this campaign.

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Support Hunger Striking Students at the University of Florida!
Students at the University of Florida have been on hunger strike for up to 13 days to demand that the university commit to a policy for socially responsible investment.

Please call and email President Machen today to demand that the university meet students' demands.

Script:
President Machen (352) 392-1311:
Hello, my name is _______ and I am a __________ from __________. I am calling today to urge you to listen to the demands of your hunger striking students. The University of Florida should be a leader in the struggle to ensure that the rights of workers are respected, and I hope that your administration will take action immediately. Thank you.

Tell me more

At the link above you can also sign on to send President Machen the following letter. The SDS also has their own online petition HERE.

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s): President Bernie Machen

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Support socially responsible investing

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

I am writing today to urge you to support the socially responsible investment proposal submitted to you by Students for a Democratic Society. Currently, the SRI policy passed by the Board of Trustees provides no measure of accountability to the students or the public. If the University of Florida is to live up to its mission statement of working for the public good, it must realize that its investments should be held to the same standard. I implore you to meet the demands of the students who are on a hunger strike and ensure that the University of Florida will remain at the forefront of the fight for sustainability and responsibility.

Thank you.
Sincerely,

FLORIDA:

NEW ANARCHIST BOOKSTORE PROJECT:

As Molly has remarked many times before on this blog the anarchist movement today continues to spread and grow in a rapid fashion. Despite the decline of spectacular and futile "summit-hopping" the movement is putting down much more effective and mature roots in places that one would hardly have dreamed about a couple of decades ago. Here's a report and an appeal from yet another start-up, this time in Miami, Florida.

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Miami: Introducing The anarchist Black Mangrove Collective

We'd like to formally announce a new anti-authoritarian project located in Miami, Florida. The Black Mangrove Collective has been active for a few months now and we're working hard to open a Social Center/Coffeehouse/Bookstore where radical ideas can be exchanged and new projects can be nurtured. Many folks equate Miami with reactionary Cubans and the FTAA fiasco, but thus far we've had a warm reception in an emerging and growing radical community. We've been able to do some amazing things despite our humble resources, but to truly get off the ground, we need the solidarity of the anarchist community. We're initiating an online donation drive with a modest goal of raising $2500. Visit https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/from-the-roots-funding-drive and help us foster a strong movement here in Miami. Thank you for any assistance you can offer.

Below is a basic description of what we're about and the projects we're working on:

The Black Mangrove Collective is a new organization dedicated to the task of nurturing a culture of activism, creativity and cooperation in Miami, Florida. We look to open up spaces, temporary or permanent, from which new institutions and new infrastructure can be built based on the principles of self-management, solidarity, and participatory democracy. By working closely with community members, students, activists, and allied organizations, we help build from below the society we wish to see. We aim to prove that indeed, Another World is Possible.

Coffeehouse Project:

Our primary project is the establishment of Miami's first workers' collective coffeehouse and bookstore. Managed by its workers, The Black Mangrove Coffeehouse will serve as a political, creative and cultural resource center for activists, musicians, artists, and those who just enjoy a good cup of joe. Besides offering quality fairly traded coffees, teas and foods, space will be provided for activities ranging from meetings and book clubs to workshops and knitting circles. The Black Mangrove Bookstore will specialize in titles not commonly found at the local chain store, including everything from radical theory to independent music to organic gardening.

Book Distribution:

While our hope is to eventually find a permanent home for our books and pamphlets, we look for any opportunity to table at local conferences, concerts, or events. Beyond books we plan to also extend our merchandise to include buttons, patches, art, and fairly traded crafts from around the world.

Event Programming:

With our growing network of local, national and global friends and allies, we have a valuable opportunity to bring an array of perspectives to the South Florida region. The Black Mangrove will host lectures, performances, art shows and workshops that will be sure to entertain, educate and inspire.

Grassroots Resource Center:

The Black Mangrove will work to develop a publicly accessible activism library and equipment rental program. Specifically designed for progressive organizations and individuals to utilize, the Grassroots Resource Center will seek to cultivate a cooperative system of resource, knowledge and skill sharing. We hope to make available valuable tools such as PA speakers, video projectors, podiums, Lexus Nexus services, and other items that can (and should) be shared for the benefit of all.

Questions?

Email the BMC at: info@theblackmangrove.com

Website Coming Soon!

USA/BURGER KING

TELL BURGER KING TO STOP STALLING AND START WORKING WITH THE CIW:

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a farmworker-led organization based in southwest Florida, together with its youth and student allies, has successfully won binding agreements with Yum Brands (Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc.) and McDonald's to help increase wages and improve working conditions for tomato pickers in Florida.

Today, in the wake of these agreements, we stand on the threshold of a more modern, more humane agricultural industry in Florida. Yet, faced with this historic opportunity to take responsibility for the human rights crisis in the tomato supply chain- a crisis that its high-volume tomato purchasing practices directly contribute to- Burger King has instead chosen to lie, stall, and give comfort to tomato growers in Florida that are trying to resist these urgently needed changes.

Please email and fax decision-makers at Burger King and Goldman, Sachs &Co (an investment firm that owns a sizable chunk of BK stocks) today to demand that BK stop encouraging the growers' resistance and instead use their influence. as Yum and McDonald's have, to stand with Florida tomato pickers in their fight for fundamental human rights in the fields.

To read more and join this campaign go to http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/ciw_burgerking