Cincinnati, OH

“Hey Everyone — I wanted to give a quick update from Cincinnati! On Ash Wednesday we held a Litany of Penitence. I’ve attached a document with a reading from the Prophet Isaiah we read aloud in English and Spanish followed by the Litany of Penitence which calls on local companies to repent (including Kroger and Wendy’s) and treat their workers with dignity–“For the refusal of our food providers to agree to protect the safety, livelihood, and dignity of those who harvest the food, Accept our repentance, oh God.” Ashes were given to those that wanted to participate and we also put ashes on images of the companies.

You can read more here:

“Cincinnati community activists call themselves and corporations to repentance,”Examiner.com, 2/14/13

“Litany of penitence for Ash Wednesday 2013,” Examiner.com, 2/15/13

We also had an Ohio Fair Food Action in Columbus yesterday at a Wendy’s location near OSU and also at the headquarters.”

Miami, FL

“FIU student Farmworker alliance had a successful action as we took giant Valentines Day cards that read, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, Sign the Fair Food Agreement, It’s the right thing to do” to managers at our Wendy’s and Publix across from campus. We explained that all workers, but women in particular, face harsh conditions in the tomato fields and that the Fair Food Program makes sure that workers can file complaints of sexual harassment or other issues without fear of retribution. We also mentioned that the Fair Food Program raises the historically low wages of farmworkers by major corporations paying a penny-per-pound down to farmworkers. They were shocked to find out that this was something that 11 other major corporations are already doing. We received positive feedback from the respective managers and they promised to pass our cards up so that they can hear our concerns. They thanked us for informing them about the realities of the fields and wished us a happy valentines day.”

Santa Ana, CA

From the OC Weekly, “Wendy’s Be Our Valentine!” Protest Today in SanTana”!, 2/15/13 (the picture’s not so hot, but the write-up was too good to pass up!):

“Today the Student Farmworker Alliance and Coalition of Immokalee Workers (those always-awesome chingones who have led successful boycotts against everyone from Taco Bell to Trader Joe’s) are inviting la gente to meet and prep at El Centro Cultural de Mexico at 5pm to be part of today’s “Wendy’s Be Our Valentine!” rally… The protest is part of a planned national weekend of action and will go from 5:45pm to 7pm, at the Wendy’s on 1737 E. 17th Street in SanTana and urges the fast-food giant to follow the spirit of Valentine’s Day and sign onto the Fair Food Program. What is that? The CIW wants Wendy’s to pay Florida’s tomato pickers a penny more per pound of tomatoes picked in the fields–that would double most worker’s salaries to about $14,000 a year… Crazy-ass socialism? Tell that to McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, and Taco Bell, who all have taken the penny plunge and still rake in the moolah… See you all radical protesters, non-protesters and hardcore vegetarians there!”

Providence, RI

“This Friday (2/15/13), about ten students from Brown University’s Student Labor Alliance visited all three Wendy’s restaurants in Providence, Rhode Island to call on Wendy’s to sign the Fair Food Agreement, an Agreement promising a fair wage and just working conditions to farmworkers who pick the produce served in Wendy’s meals. After making Valentines all week with students from Brown Christian Fellowship, Brown MEChA, Student Labor Alliance, and other student groups, the students then delivered these Valentines – sporting slogans like, “Be mine and sign the Fair Food Agreement!” “Treat farmworkers with love and respect!” and “Roses are red, violets are blue, workers are people – but, are you? Sign the Fair Food Agreement and prove it!” – to the Wendy’s on Charles Street, Eddy Street, and Manton Avenue in Providence, discussing the Agreement with managers and customers and asking managers to pass the message on to their supervisors. In one Wendy’s, SLA members also performed a skit in which a penny “broke up” with Wendy in order to be with farmworkers; this skit represented the Fair Food Agreement’s demand that Wendy’s pay one penny more per pound to farmworkers, which amounts to as much as a 70% increase in farmworkers’ wages, allowing farmworkers to escape the subpoverty conditions that often characterize life in the fields.”

Nashville, TN

“At today’s Valentine’s Day-themed protest at Wendy’s, the Student/Farmworker Alliance group at Vanderbilt sang a new version of the popular theme song from Dawson’s Creek, “I Don’t Want to Wait”: “I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over… I wanna know right now if you agree. I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over… Just make fair food and grant farmworkers equality.” How about it, Wendy’s?”

St. Louis, MO

“On Saturday, February 16, three of us, Shona Clarkson, Dan Mosby, and Kathy Peterson demonstrated with our “Wendy’s Have a Heart” banner out in front of the Wendy’s at 9604 Manchester in Rock Hill, Mo. We then entered the restaurant where Shona spoke with Perry Colson, the manager, summarizing the demands of the fair food campaign. He agreed to speak to his district supervisor about our letter. One of the workers expressed interest in our demands, saying she had seen a report on television about the fair food demand on Wendy’s.”

Immokalee, FL

In Immokalee, dozens of workers signed hearts with messages for the local Wendy’s during the weekly, Wednesday night community meeting. A delegation delivered the hearts and received a respectful hearing from the manager, who promised to pass the message on to the corporate headquarters.