MEDIA ROUND-UP: Commentators across the World Wide Web take Publix, Wendy’s to task!

 

National news outlets, social media reflect growing wave of consumer action in Fair Food movement… 

Between the slew of endorsements and actions in the Wendy’s boycott, and the all-too-predictable headlines revealing systemic labor abuses in the fields of key Publix supplier Tomato Thyme, the Campaign for Fair Food has received its fair share of attention across the world wide web in the past several weeks, from news articles and editorials to social media.  And as any frequent reader of this site knows, that means that it’s about time for an Fair Food movement media round-up!

Enjoy!

Business leader in Miami Herald letter to the editor:  “I’ve been a loyal Publix shopper for decades. But Publix doesn’t participate in the Fair Food Program…”

First up, earlier this week, Miami-based business leader Adam Snitzer took it upon himself to offer Publix some friendly advice through the pages of the Miami Herald.  In an article titled “Maximizing revenue:  Don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish,” Mr. Snitzer takes Publix to task for failing to join the Fair Food Program, even while some of the company’s major competitors in Florida, including The Fresh Market, have long since done so:

miami-herald-business-monday

Maximizing revenues: Don’t be penny-wise and pound-foolish

Fresh Fruit Portal:  “Pressure is mounting against one of North America’s leading fast food chains to join the Fair Food Program…”

Publix wasn’t the only company catching some heat for its rejection of the Fair Food Program.

On May 30, the United Church of Christ’s breaking endorsement of the Wendy’s boycott caught the attention of the Fresh Fruit Portal — one of the internet’s principal monitors of news in the fresh produce industry worldwide.  Here below is the article in full:

FreshFruitPortal

United Church of Christ supports Fair Food Program, Wendy’s boycott

The church is now the third religious group to stand behind a campaign driven by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW).

Pressure is mounting against one of North America’s leading fast food chains to join the Fair Food Program, a tomato worker support initiative with signatories including Subway, McDonald’s, Whole Foods, Chipotle, Sodexo, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Ahold USA and Whole Foods.

Spearheaded by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW)the program has expanded beyond Florida-grown tomatoes to include new crops and states

Rev. Michael Livingston, Executive Minister of Manhattan's towering Riverside Church, a part of the United Church of Christ, speaking at the launch of the Wendy's Boycott in March 2016
Rev. Michael Livingston, Executive Minister of Manhattan’s towering Riverside Church, a part of the United Church of Christ, speaking at the launch of the Wendy’s Boycott in March 2016

The CIW has pushed for several large retailers and foodservice outlets to join the scheme, but now several external groups have come out in support of a boycott of food chain Wendy’s until the company joins.

Joining the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as well as T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, the United Church of Christ (UCC) has taken a stand alongside farmworkers and formally endorsed the Wendy’s boycott.

The church has about one million followers in the United States, and supported the CIW in a previous boycott against Taco Bell which ultimately proved successful in 2005.

“The United Church of Christ has a long history of standing with farm workers against the injustice and invisibility that often accompanies the labor that satiates our consumerism,” said the church’s Reverends John C. Dorhauer and Dr. Traci D. Blackmon in a joint statement.

“For ten years the Coalition of Immokalee Workers has asked Wendy’s to join other industry partners, by participating in the Fair Food Program in partnership with tomato growers, farm workers, and buyers, to improve the lives of farm workers.

“For 10 years the request has been simple and fair: a zero-tolerance policy for slavery and sexual harassment, an additional penny per pound of tomatoes picked, and a formal grievance policy to address worker concerns.”

The Reverends said the church’s members’ comforts could not be provided “at the expense of our neighbor’s discomfort”.

“For 10 years the request has been simple and fair: a zero-tolerance policy for slavery and sexual harassment, an additional penny per pound of tomatoes picked, and a formal grievance policy to address worker concerns,” they said.

“Ten years is long enough to simply ask a major corporation to do the right thing.”

Out of the mouths of babes: A toddler weighs in on the Wendy’s Boycott on Twitter…

Although there are many, many photos, videos and comments on the Campaign for Fair Food shared on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere in the ever-larger world of social media, there’s always one or two that stand out.  Today, we leave you with this simple, sweet message from Twitter:

Stay tuned for more on the Campaign front later this week!