… it tolls for you, now, and just in time for the annual shareholder meeting!

In Haitian Creole, there is a proverb for those who bury they heads in the sand when danger is near: Le bab kamarad ou pran dife, met pa w’ a la tranp… When your neighbor’s beard catches on fire, it’s time to soak your own. In other words, when you see trouble coming your way, do whatever you need to do to keep it from knocking on your door.

Well, this past month, Wendy’s would have done well to pay heed to those Haitian words of wisdom. Between the March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food and the flood of letters and statements that followed, the Campaign for Fair Food has been engaged with Publix to the exclusion of all other retail food giants still dragging their feet on joining the Fair Food Program. And where was Wendy’s? Did Wendy’s seize the opportunity to get out ahead of any public protests and meet with the CIW to hammer out the details on how it could help protect and advance human rights in the fields where its tomatoes are picked?

No, Wendy’s did not. Sadly, the world’s third largest fast-food chain chose instead to close its eyes and ears to the chorus of calls from consumers for farm labor justice and hope they might forget that Wendy’s is the only fast-food leader left that hasn’t signed a Fair Food agreement.

Indeed, ever since the Wendy’s campaign was announced back in January of this year, the company has been silent, nowhere to be found — and every day that passes its beard (or in this case, perhaps, its pigtails) grows drier and drier.

And so now, the Campaign for Fair Food is knocking at Wendy’s door in earnest. Over the coming two months, Fair Food allies from Ohio (where Wendy’s corporate headquarters is located) to New York City (and many cities in between) will be turning their energy, creativity and commitment to Wendy’s, and it should be getting a bit hot up under that frilly blue and white striped collar…

Up first is the April 14th Pigtail March for Justice (in the photo above, members of NYC’s Community/Farmworker Alliance put the finishing touches on the art that will carry their message to thousands of New Yorkers this weekend). In case you’re thinking of joining the pigtail brigade, make sure to check out the Community Farmworker Alliance’s clever Guide to Making Pigtails for some tips. Not to be outdone, New York’s northern Fair Food neighbors in Boston and Providence are also gearing up for actions on April 26th — make sure to stay tuned for all the photos and updates.

Wendy’s Weekend of Action, May 17-19

We began this post with a Haitian proverb, but now we turn to one a that may be a bit more familiar: If April showers bring May flowers, what do April protests bring? If you answered “More protests in May,” you’re right!

Following April’s actions, the Fair Food nation is really turning up the heat on Wendy’s with a full menu of protests planned to coincide with the company’s shareholder meeting in NYC on May 23rd! Fair Food allies from the entire northeast region will be converging in New York at the shareholder meeting itself, while the fine folks at Ohio Fair Food will be organizing a parallel action at Wendy’s headquarters in Dublin, Ohio. Meanwhile, dozens of other protests will be taking place around the country, making the Wendy’s Weekend of Action one to remember. Ready to plan your own mid-May action? Let us know at workers (at) ciw-online.org and we’ll make sure you have everything you need to make your message heard.

Florrie Burke wins the Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons

As we mentioned at the end of yesterday’s post, we have some wonderful news out of Washington to share: At Tuesday’s Forum to Combat Human Trafficking, White House officials awarded the “Presidential Award for Extraordinary Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons” to long-time CIW ally and partner, Freedom Network Co-Founder Florrie Burke! Her work supporting victims with mental health and trauma counseling was absolutely central to one of the earliest human trafficking cases in New York City, and she has been a tireless leader in the national anti-slavery movement ever since. We applaud the White House on their excellent choice of such a dedicated, fiercely intelligent, compassionate warrior in the fight against modern-day slavery. Congratulations, Florrie!