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photo by Andrew West, News-Press
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Looking back: CIW’s own “annus mirabilis” prompts Ft. Myers News-Press to name CIW “2010 Person of the Year”!
Looking forward: Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel names Campaign for Fair Food one of five “causes worth fighting for” in 2011…
In 1905, Albert Einstein had a pretty good year.
In what has become known as his “annus mirabilis,” Einstein published four papers that “contributed substantially to the foundation of modern physics and changed views on space, time, and matter.” In the space of one year, Einstein changed forever how we — all of us — understand and live in the world, our very relationship to the universe, all while working full time as a patent clerk. It was truly a “year of wonders.”
In 2010, the CIW had a pretty good year, too. Not Albert Einstein good, mind you, but still quite good for a group of farmworkers, living and working in one of the country’s poorest towns, that decided to take on the trillion-dollar food industry ten years ago with little more than an untested theory of change and a deep wellspring of commitment. But despite those humble beginnings, we have arrived today — after a year that included this, this, this, this, this, and this, among other things — at the threshold of fundamental labor reform in Florida’s notoriously brutal tomato fields, of real and lasting change in the wages and working conditions of Florida’s poorest, least-protected workers.
In recognition of this year of unprecedented victories, the Ft. Myers News-Press has recognized the CIW as Southwest Florida’s “2010 Person of the Year”! Here’s an excerpt from the article announcing the recognition, entitled “Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ fight for justice leads to historic win,” (Ft. Myers News-Press, 12/26/10):
| “With tomato fields stretching to the horizon, the men gripped each other in a long, strong hug.
One was born a peasant, the other privileged. Lucas Benitez and Jon Esformes were together that November morning to announce Esformes’ company, Pacific Tomato Growers, would be doing things differently from now on… … ‘It is not acceptable,’ Esformes said, ‘that agricultural workers have any less rights than folks working in white-collar jobs.’ Those were nothing less than revolutionary words from a fourth-generation member of an industry dogged for decades by abysmal wages and labor abuses, including high-profile slavery cases. No grower had ever before joined forces with a group of Florida farmworkers, historically excluded from many workplace protections others take for granted. Yet farmworkers themselves – the Coalition of Immokalee Workers – brokered the deal. Simple as it sounds, its guarantees stand to transform Florida’s $619 million tomato industry. For its years of groundbreaking advocacy, The News-Press has named the Coalition of Immokalee Workers its 2010 People of the Year…” read more |
The News-Press story was accompanied by an extremely supportive editorial, “The Coalition of Immokalee Workers ends 2010 on a high note,” which reads, in part:
| “… Agriculture is one of the three legs of the stool of Southwest Florida’s economy, and it is imperative to have a work force that will continue to produce our tomatoes, cucumbers and other important produce, which feeds so much of our nation.
The coalition has been about making sure the work gets done but also making sure the workers who do it are treated fairly and humanely. It’s amazing that in the 21st century issues such as healthy living conditions and slavery are a concern in the United States. The coalition’s tireless and peaceful advocacy has swayed public opinion and policies of numerous businesses such as Taco Bell, Burger King and McDonald’s… … May they continue their efforts for justice and fairness.” read more |
Despite the Einstein reference at the top of the post, we are sincerely humbled by the News-Press’ recognition of our work, and assure both the editors at the News-Press and the rest of our neighbors in Southwest Florida that we will continue to fight in 2011 to consolidate the advances we have already won on the ground in Florida’s tomato fields, and to expand the Campaign for Fair Food into the supermarket industry.
Which brings us to another article that came out during the holiday break, this one by Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of The Nation. In an article entitled “Action, Hope, 2010,” she writes, “Looking forward to 2011, there are many ideas, organizing efforts and causes worth fighting for—many which should engender hope as we work together to make this a more just and decent nation. Below are five that I believe are valuable in these times.” She then begins her list with none other than the Campaign for Fair Food:
| “1) CIW Takes on the Supermarkets
Now, the CIW’s Campaign for Fair Food—think human rights in the food industry—takes on the $550 billion supermarket industry and this kind of backward thinking: “We don’t have any plans to sit down with the CIW,” said Publix Media and Community Relations Manager Dwaine Stevens. “If there are some atrocities going on, it’s not our business.” Actually, the supply chains used by corporations to turn a profit—and how workers who give us the food we eat are treated—are absolutely the business of corporations and consumers. Publix, Ahold (parent company of Giant and Stop & Shop), Kroger, Trader Joe’s—all would be wise to either get on board or brace themselves. You can begin to educate yourself and get involved here. This is a fight we all need to be a part of in 2011.” read more |
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) enjoyed a remarkable 2010, successfully obtaining penny per pound pay raises and code of conduct agreements for farmworkers from the three largest food service companies and the growers who had blocked checks buyers cut directly to the workers so that millions of dollars languished in escrow. These agreements stand to increase workers’ annual earnings from about $10,000 to as much as $17,000. The State Department also recognized Laura Germino, CIW’s antislavery campaign coordinator, as an “anti-Trafficking Hero” for her work helping the US Department of Justice prosecute seven slavery operations in Florida over the last fifteen years, resulting in the liberation of over 1,000 farmworkers.As we get ready to ring in the new year, we are blessed to be able to look back at the year that was with a deep, if somewhat unfamiliar, sense of satisfaction. Fifteen long years of organizing — with all the sacrifices and frustrations, hopes and fears that entails — are finally beginning to pay off. But with great success comes even greater expectations, and the year ahead promises to be a tremendous challenge for us all — both for those of us in Immokalee, working to implement our hard-won agreements, and for our allies in the Campaign for Fair Food, working to sway the supermarkets to join us in real, verifiable social responsibility.
And while we can’t know exactly how things will look this time next year, we do know this: We are up for the challenge, and we can hardly wait.