Call-ins, postcards, protests… We need YOU to join farmworkers and fellow allies in mobilizing for the Wendy’s Shareholder meeting on May 23rd!
In just a few weeks, Wendy’s will hold its annual shareholder meeting at the company’s headquarters in Columbus, Ohio on May 23rd. And for the fourth year running, Wendy’s executives and shareholders will be forced to confront the urgent, moral question posed by farmworkers and consumers of conscience: How much longer will the fast-food giant remain on the wrong side of history when it comes to social responsibility in its supply chain? Ever since the launch of the Wendy’s campaign in 2013, tomato pickers from Immokalee, joined by religious, student and community leaders, have been an annual presence at the shareholder meeting, demanding answers from Wendy’s leadership — and this year promises to be the most powerful action yet.
Following months of escalating action in the campaign — including the 14-day, 14-city Return to Human Rights Tour in March and six weeks of rolling student fasts across the nation — Wendy’s unconscionable rejection of fundamental human rights in its supply chain is growing increasingly untenable. And on May 23rd, those at the helm of the multi-billion dollar corporate giant will be forced to reckon with farmworkers and consumers alike, face to face.
Between now and then, we’re going to need each and every member of the Fair Food Nation to keep the pressure up on Wendy’s — and that means you! Here below is the Alliance for Fair Food’s official call to action, offering a series of actions that you can take to do your part. Please share the call widely with your networks — and we’ll see you in the streets of Columbus on May 23rd!
Join farmworkers, Columbus-area allies and supporters from across the country for a major protest outside of Wendy’s shareholder meeting on Tuesday, May 23!
After months of escalating action in the Wendy’s Boycott, demanding that the corporation respect farmworkers’ human rights, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their allies will show up in powerful witness outside of Wendy’s annual shareholder meeting Tuesday, May 23 from 8-11 a.m.
For over four years, Wendy’s has refused to meet face to face with farmworkers to dialogue and negotiate their participation in the Fair Food Program. Enough is enough! We will bring the call for farmworker justice to Wendy’s doorstep, directly to the company’s top executives and shareholders.
Here are four ways you can take action in the month of May! All of the action items and how-tos are included in a guide, downloadable here.
1) Begin making plans to join farmworkers, Ohio Fair Food and allies from across the country on Tuesday, May 23 for a major protest outside of Wendy’s annual shareholder meeting, followed by a community lunch with CIW. Housing will be provided for those coming from out of town. Get in touch with us at organize@allianceforfairfood.org for support in planning the trip!
2) Send a boycott postcard to Wendy’s CEO Todd Penegor and Board Chairman Nelson Peltz, then organize your community, congregation, or student group to do the same! Download the postcard here to print, sign, and send to One Dave Thomas Blvd., Dublin, OH 43017.
3) Donate to the Wendy’s Boycott Fund to bring us closer to our goal of $25,000 in the month of May, to fuel sustained and growing action in the struggle for Fair Food – and bring us closer to an agreement with the final fast food holdout! You can donate online at bit.ly/boycott-fund or by writing a check to Alliance for Fair Food and sending to PO Box 509, Immokalee, FL 34143.
4) On Monday, May 22, participate in a national call-in day to Wendy’s Headquarters! Below is information about the call-in day and a sample script for your call. Once you’ve called, email us at organize@allianceforfairfood.org to share a report!
Call-in Number: (888)-624-8140
Script: Hello, my name is __________ and I would like to leave a message for Todd Penegor.
As a dedicated ally of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, I want Wendy’s to know that I will continue to support the national Wendy’s Boycott until the corporation respects the human rights of farmworkers in its supply chain and joins the Fair Food Program. For four years, we have demanded that Wendy’s be a partner in the Program, but Wendy’s has failed to do so, instead offering a Code of Conduct devoid of enforcement mechanisms or worker participation and moving purchasing to fields where human rights abuses go unchecked.
Mr. Penegor should know we plan to make our voices heard during an action outside of Wendy’s headquarters tomorrow, calling on him and all shareholders to respect farmworkers’ dignity by joining the Fair Food Program. Unless you commit to joining the Fair Food Program during your annual shareholder meeting, scores of farmworkers and allies will be peacefully demonstrating outside — and the already tens of thousands-strong boycott of Wendy’s will continue to grow day by day!
Thank you for delivering this message.
This spring, thousands mobilized as part of the Return to Human Rights Tour in a unified cry on behalf of the broader struggle for human rights, highlighting Wendy’s decision to purchase tomatoes where working conditions are deplorable rather than use its market power to lift up human rights through the Fair Food Program.
Nineteen students and alumni at The Ohio State University fasted for seven days to pressure administration to end the university’s contract with Wendy’s, sparking over a month of rolling campus fasts across the country. Hundreds of students around the country, as well as religious leaders and community partners, picked up the OSU protest, going without food in order to shine a spotlight on Wendy’s moral duty to respect workers’ rights rather than hide behind an empty code of conduct. And now, we are returning to Wendy’s annual shareholder meeting more powerful than ever before.
Let’s send the message to Wendy’s leadership that they can no longer ignore the tens of thousands of farmworkers in their supply chain — or the tens of thousands of consumers boycotting their restaurants.