Wendy’s protests on the docket for April around the Northeast…

Last week we talked about the law of conservation of (social) energy, the notion of how social energy, like physical energy, once created — as it was in massive quantities during last month’s March for Rights, Respect, and Fair Food — is never destroyed but only changes form. By this law, the energy created in the Publix march will not be lost, but will continue to manifest itself in an ever-growing demand for the full respect for human rights in our nation’s food industry.

In short, social action begets more action. And nowhere is that rule more evident than in the growing Wendy’s campaign, where Fair Food activists who live outside of Publix’s southeastern market — many of whom traveled to Florida to march for all or part of the 200-mile trek to Publix’s headquarters in Lakeland — are directing their energy toward Wendy’s and the campaign to convince the country’s third largest fast food company to join Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway, and Chipotle in working with the CIW to eliminate farm labor exploitation in Florida’s tomato fields.

The energy is particularly high in the northeast, and we will begin our tour in Boston where, just three days after the final day of the march here in Florida, 30 students braved the snow and picketed a local Wendy’s (above). Here’s their report:

“One week ago today, 30 students in Boston picketed a local Wendy’s in solidarity with the CIW and SFA’s ongoing campaign to have the chain sign onto the Fair Food Program (we would have targeted Publix but it doesn’t exist up north!). It was organized by students participating in the Real Food Challenge, and we delivered a letter to the assistant manager, to the manager, handed out 200 fliers, and got cheered on by the Wendy’s workers. Schools represented:

Northeastern University
UMass Boston
Bunker Hill Community College
Emerson College
Community College of Rhode Island
Hampshire College”

Meanwhile, in New York, the fine folks at the Community/Farmworker Alliance — who helped organize an entire bus of marchers for the final days of the march — are turning their energy into action and planning a “Pigtail March for Justice” next week (Sunday, April 14th). Here below is Siena Chrisman of WhyHunger writing in the pages of ediblemanhattan.com about the connection between her experience at the march on Publix and the upcoming Wendy’s action in NYC:

“Dozens of New Yorkers headed to Florida last weekend – not for a spring break jaunt, but to demand justice in the food chain. A delegation from the global anti-hunger and poverty organization WhyHunger, based in Manhattan, and a bus organized by New York-based Community Farmworker Alliance joined thousands of people from across the country for the final days of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ 2-week, 200-mile March for Rights, Respect and Fair Food, calling for fair wages for Florida’s farmworkers.

For over a decade, the community-based, farmworker-led Coalition, better known as CIW, has been organizing farmworkers and their allies to demand an end to abuse, discrimination, wage theft, and even modern-day slavery in the tomato fields of Immokalee, Florida. The march called on Publix supermarket, the largest grocer in the southeast, to join 11 leading food companies, including McDonald’s and Whole Foods, in supporting the innovative Fair Food Program. The program is a collaboration between Florida’s tomato growers, retailers and farmworkers to ensure humane labor standards and a penny-per-pound premium to help lift workers out of abject poverty.

The march was a protest, but also a celebration. Hundreds of yellow flags proclaiming “Nuevo Dia para los Trabajadores” invited Publix to join the “new day” that has dawned for farmworkers under the Fair Food Program. Music and lively chants accompanied and motivated marchers along access roads and strip malls, through trailer parks and developments of foreclosed homes, through downtowns and under trees draped with Spanish moss. If you couldn’t make it to Florida, you can experience some of the joy and inspiration by supporting CIW’s campaign against Wendy’s here in NYC at the Pigtail March for Justice on April 14—and follow the progress on Twitter with #FreedomCannotRest.”  >> read more

Finally, the people over at Philadelphia Campaign for Fair Food, who will not be outdone when it comes to taking action for farm labor justice, are organizing their own action. In their own words:

“Dear Fair Food Fighters,

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ two-week-long, 200-mile march reached Lakeland, Florida last Sunday. Publix Super Markets is facing more and more pressure to honor the rights of farmworkers by joining the Fair Food Program.

It’s up to us here in Philadelphia to keep pushing the last hold-outs from the Fair Food Program in our area to join as well. The historic victories that Florida farmworkers have achieved over the past ten years cannot be fully implemented unless all of the major corporations that purchase Florida tomatoes sign on.

That’s why the Philly Campaign for Fair Food will protesting in front of Wendy’s on Saturday, April 6, along with our faith allies from Mishkan Shalom Synagogue.

Will you join us in a few weeks on April 6?

Saturday, April 6 at 1pm
Wendy’s, 259 City Avenue
Merion Station, PA 19066

Let’s show Wendy’s that we won’t let them stand in the way of farmworkers’ right to a fair wage, dignity, and respect on the job!”

They even included a link to the march wrap-up video to help move their ranks to action.

In the weeks and months ahead, the Wendy’s campaign will continue to heat up. If you have recently held, or are organizing, Wendy’s actions in your community, be sure to let us know and we’ll share your pictures and reports with the entire Fair Food nation!