According to a report from the growing organization of Campaign for Fair Food allies in the New York area known as Fair Food NYC, a “small but hearty band” got together to “hold banners and hand out flyers” outside the hotel in New York where Wendy’s/Arby’s was holding its annual shareholder meeting last week (for those of you who don’t keep tabs on this sort of thing, Wendy’s and Arby’s recently merged, creating a very awkward hybrid moniker in the process…).

In the wake of news that Quiznos appears to be taking serious steps to enter into a partnership with the CIW for fairer wages and working conditions for the Florida farmworkers who pick its tomatoes, Wendy’s/Arby’s has apparently decided to remain the last fast-food giant standing in opposition to the principles of Fair Food. According to Fair Food NYC — which was able to obtain a proxy allowing a member to attend the shareholder meeting — the company’s general counsel gave a non-answer to the question of why Wendy’s/Arby’s has thus far refused to join the Campaign for Fair Food, saying only the company would take the question “into consideration.”

What, exactly, there is to consider about the urgent need to reform an agricultural industry marred by a documented, decades-long history of grave human rights violations escapes us, frankly, especially after all of Wendy’s/Arby’s main competitors have already committed to do their part to improve farm labor conditions in Florida’s tomato fields.

The Taco Bell campaign began in 2001. For nearly 10 years, now, fast-food industry leaders have been on notice that their companies have been buying tomatoes from some of the very worst, most abusive, labor conditions this country has to offer. Let’s hope Wendy’s/Arby’s doesn’t take yet another decade before they decide to join the growing partnership for ethical labor practices in Florida’s fields.