 Busted, part 2: Spy scandal linked to BK CEO!
Update - May 14, 2008 - The plot thickens. Fallout from BK scandals continues; focus remains on BK to improve wages and working conditions in its tomato supply chain. Stay tuned for more...
May 7, 2008 - Students, consumers growing increasingly impatient with BK's dirty tricks Hot on the heels of continuing revelations about Burger King VP Steve Grover's smear campaign against the CIW and its allies, a must-read New York Times op/ed by author Eric Schlosser today makes clear what we've suspected all along: that Burger King was behind Diplomatic Tactical Services' efforts to spy on the SFA.
But it doesn't stop there. The scandal has now reached new levels with the news that none other than Burger King CEO John Chidsey knew about the company's use of Diplomatic Tactical Services, whose owner Cara Schaffer recently attempted to infiltrate SFA by posing as a student, despite being denied a private investigator's license by the state of Florida. (Click on the image to the left to hear Chidsey's opinion on farmworker poverty.) Here are some highlights from the explosive op/ed:
What does this all mean? You can read the CIW's analysis of where the campaign -- and the investigation into Burger King's recent behavior -- should go from here. What's clear is that Burger King must change course and must be held accountable for its two-pronged attack on the CIW and its allies through an online smear campaign and the attempt to spy on SFA, both tactics having now been linked to the highest levels of leadership at the corporation. And while Burger King may claim that it was justified in hiring an unlicensed private security agent -- a move which may in itself have been illegal -- to "protect its employees and assets," its concern about such harm stemming from the actions of SFA is totally baseless. Furthermore, given recent revelations, it's clear whose behavior needs to be put under scrutiny. SFA is a nonviolent group that has used tactics such as peaceful protest and hunger strikes to educate our peers and persuade the two largest fast-food corporations in the world to sit down and negotiate agreements with farmworkers to improve wages and working conditions in these company's tomato supply chains. Given our history, the fact that Burger King would hire an outfit such as DTS to spy on us is as unjustifiable as it is unacceptable. And given BK's attempts to publicly discredit the CIW, it's not too much of a stretch to assume that "safety" was not their only motivation to spy on us. The incident wreaks of desperation, with BK turning over every possible stone, hoping (but failing) to find another justification to continue its current course.
Burger King says it's conducting an internal investigation into this mounting scandal. But just as we've learned that you can't trust the "fox to guard the henhouse," Burger King must be subjected to an independent investigation if we're really to get to the bottom of this sorry sequence of events. What's clear today is that it's time for Burger King to cooperate with such an investigation, and, more importantly, for it to stop wasting precious time and resources in underhanded and morally reprehensible tactics that already have done irreparable harm to the company and instead come to an agreement with the CIW. From our humble beginning 8 years ago as a small group of Florida students called to action by the inspiring human rights work of the CIW -- including its 230-mile march across the state -- SFA has held itself to the high standard of accountability and responsibility necessary for our work in partnership with one of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the US. The only thing we've done to Burger King is try to educate the company that the carefully-managed brand image it spends billions on can't hold up against the reality of farmworker exploitation and unethical behavior that lays behind the company's soaring profits. Fortunately, as of late, Burger King's own behavior has made this task all the more easy for us. 85,000 signatures delivered to BK headquarters as high-level executive revealed behind smear campaign!
In major development, 'libelous' comments are directly connected to BK VP Steve Grover as farmworkers, allies deliver petition signatures May 1 , 2008 - Busted. The trail of insulting, libelous online comments aimed at the CIW and its allies has been directly connected to Burger King Vice President Steve Grover. On at least one occasion, Grover referred to farmworkers in Immokalee struggling to defend their human rights as "blood suckers" and "the lowest form(s) of life." The litany of posts by Grover -- hiding behind anonymous internet usernames (and even his own daughter's) and repeatedly referring to CIW allies as "dupes" and "fools."-- called into question the integrity of the CIW and the Yum Brands/ McDonald's agreements, even after Grover was told to stop spreading such lies. This latest in a series of revelations of dirty tricks by Burger King against the CIW and SFA has Fair Food activists wondering what concrete steps Burger King will take to show that, as the company claims, the words of a corporate vice president do not reflect "official policy." In the words of CIW member Gerardo Reyes-Chavez,
Take a moment today to get caught up on all the latest, from the links below to the CIW site. From the ongoing national petition drive to the widening scandal at the highest levels of BK, to an exciting development in the Chipotle campaign, it's looking to be a hot summer for BK and the food industry as the CIW and its allies demand an end, once and for all, to sweatshops in the fields!
Petitions to be delivered April 28... "not just hamburgers being grilled at Burger King" April 24, 2008 - Just 4 days remain before the delivery of signatures from the CIW's National Petition Campaign at Burger King headquarters (Mon., 4/28 at 3:30pm, 5505 Blue Lagoon Dr., Miami). Now's your chance to sign and forward the e-petition if you haven't already! In light of its recently-revealed dirty tricks, Burger King is facing increased scrutiny. Asked recently about efforts to infiltrate SFA and libelous comments about the CIW that have been traced directly back to BK headquarters, a Burger King spokesperson "declined to comment." We all know what that means... Stay tuned, as this is surely not the last piece of news in this saga! Countless consumers across the US (and beyond) have signed the CIW's Petition, pledging to boycott Burger King in the near future should that become necessary. The pressure on BK will continue -- and more irreparable harm will be done to its brand -- if it continues down the same path. There's a way out for Burger King, a way for it to do the right thing. Burger King knows exactly what that is.
BK caught with hand in cookie jar; Florida petition tour launched!
April 15, 2008 - In what may be a turning point in the campaign for fair food (coming exactly one year after the McDonald's victory and launch of the Burger King campaign) it has been revealed that SFA has been the target of an espionage & infiltration attempt by Diplomatic Tactical Services, a "South Florida based security and investigative firm" specializing in "covert surveillance and undercover operations." These revelations come as a widespread bogus blogger operation traced directly to Burger King headquarters was also uncovered. The fake blogger spread libelous, anonymous attacks on the CIW across the internet, trashing the CIW's allies as "dupes." See the links below for coverage on this and other developing news from the campaign. Is the spy operation directly connected to Burger King, which has, in the words of the Ft. Myers News-Press, "sort of" denied responsibility? We leave that for you to decide -- at least for now. One thing is clear: such attempts at disruption and infiltration don't happen in a vacuum. They happen in response to well-organized campaigns. They happen when corporations like Burger King are called upon by the public to take real responsibility and when those corporations start to run out justifications to not do so. Meanwhile, the Florida Petition Tour has kicked off, and the national petition campaign to end sweatshops and modern-day slavery in the fields surges forward with a renewed sense of urgency. CIW and SFA members are rolling across Florida to bring the CIW's national petition to students and community members from Tampa to Tallahassee to Orlando. Click here for daily reports from the tour! Stay tuned to this site and that of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in the days ahead for all the latest developments in the fast-moving campaign for fair food. From attempts at infiltration to today's senate hearings on farmworker poverty, it's sure to be a jam-packed couple of weeks in the lead-up to the April 28 petition delivery action and procession at BK headquarters in Miami! Here's the news in a nutshell:
Week of action galvanizes national petition drive & movement for fair food!
April 8, 2008 - The 2008 Student/Labor Week of Action has come to a successful close with students taking action for economic justice and human rights in communities across the US. Check out the picture slideshow from the SLWoA as well as highlights and brief reports here! The CIW's National Petition Campaign was a central theme of the Week of Action and continues to grow as thousands of consumers demand that Burger King and other food industry leaders take the necessary steps to end human rights abuses and modern-day slavery in the fields, and pledge to boycott Burger King if it fails to do so. From the upcoming Senate Hearings in DC to the April 28 petition delivery and action at BK headquarters in Miami, get ready for an action-packed few weeks as the Campaign for Fair Food heats up!
CIW: "Let us together - workers and consumers - launch a petition campaign to end modern-day slavery and the everyday sweatshop conditions that enable it to flourish in the 21st century." February 27, 2008 - The CIW has launched a National Petition Campaign to End Sweatshops and Modern-Day Slavery in the fields. Joining the petition drive, SFA announces a national student & youth day of action this March 31, 2008 - one of the first days of this year's Student/Labor Week of Action and Farmworker Awareness Week and the birthday of Cesar Chavez.
Background: Seven years have passed since the launch of the Taco Bell boycott; a year has passed since Burger King publicly rejected the CIW's demands and launched a campaign to take away the gains made through the Yum Brands and McDonald's agreements; and just one month has passed since a federal indictment was handed down for the 7th case of modern-day slavery in the fields over the past decade. And still, Burger King refuses to take responsibility for the degradation and sweatshop conditions endemic to the industry that supplies its tomatoes. It is time to say enough. Standing together as workers and consumers, with the national petition drive as our tool, we can make the latest slavery case the last.
Powerful actions rock BK from Austin to Miami February 14, 2008 - No love for Burger King! That was the message brought to the Miami-based burger chain by hundreds of students and farmworkers this past weekend from Austin, Texas to New York City to Miami. In Miami, SFA and CIW teamed with United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) to bring over 250 students from across the country and 50 farmworkers from Immokalee together for a raucous protest of a BK restaurant across from Florida International University. In Austin, local fair foodistas hosted representatives from Immokalee for a weekend of education and action including a march on Burger King and a delegation to Austin-based supermarket chain Whole Foods' headquarters. And finally, CIW and SFA shared some lessons from the successful Taco Bell boycott with some friends in New York as part of of Israeli Apartheid Week, connecting struggles with old and new allies. All told, it was a busy weekend of raising consciousness, spreading the message of the Campaign for Fair Food, and putting BK on notice that it can only expect more and larger actions in the weeks and months ahead.
"Tomato Freakout," days of action, and more: Time for the Movement for Fair Food to get back to work! January 14, 2008 - Want to make BK execs really freakout this month? Now's your chance. We're calling on SFA members to grab a camera today and capture their own reactions to Burger King's sweatshop-produced burgers, a la the latest flashy ad campaign from the world's #2 burger chain. Click here for all the details, then get to your local Burger King today and show 'em if there's anything to "freakout" about at Burger King, it's the human rights crisis in Florida's tomato fields. The holiday doldrums are over, it's time to get back to work! Click on the links below to see how you can take action today!
Plus: Updates from the campaign:
BK campaign to escalate in upcoming months... December 20, 2007 - As another year in the Campaign for Fair Food comes to a close, we invite you to check out some of the highlights from the past 12 months - from the monumental victory in the McDonald's campaign to the escalating struggle with Burger King - by clicking here (and scrolling up).
1,500+ rally at Burger King headquarters December 5, 2007 - The hugely successful 2007 March on Burger King brought together farmworkers, students, and others for a colorful and undeniable action through Miami and rally in front of BK's corporate headquarters. This — the second major mobilization pulled off by farmworkers and their allies this year — marks another clarion call to the fast-food industry that it is time, finally, for it to take responsibility for the poverty and human rights abuses in the fields where its tomatoes are harvested. From the action on the campus of Florida International University just days earlier, to the Concert for Fair Food capping off the weekend's events, students and youth came out to prove to BK that we do, indeed, care about human rights and our own dignity as consumers and as youth. Check out the links below for reports, multimedia and breaking news as the Movement for Fair Food continues!
In the weeks and months ahead, as Burger King continues its heinous and cynical strategy of teaming with the most retrograde elements in the Florida tomato industry to not only reject the demands of the CIW and its allies, but to also take away the hard-won gains of recent years, it's more important than ever for SFA to step up the pressure and the commitment to see this campaign through to victory. So too will we be looking at the cast of characters behind this story — from BK execs such as Steve Grover to the private equity owners (and Board members) of BK such as Goldman Sachs to BK ad agency Crispin Porter & Bogusky — and sharpening our strategies and skills to take them on... Stay tuned Burger King sabotages progress; undaunted, Movement for Fair Food gathers in Miami November 29, 2007 - CIW: "In the wake of our agreements with Yum Brands and McDonald's, we have arrived on the threshold of a more modern, more humane agricultural industry in Florida. Yet rather than join us on that path toward further progress, Burger King has allied itself with tomato industry representatives to push us back, back toward the same abuse and exploitation we have experienced for decades. But we will not be turned back. We will not give up the gains we have already won, and we will continue forward until all of Florida's farmworkers can enjoy a fair wage and humane conditions in this state's fields." On the heels of Kingdoom actions, attention turns to Miami mobilization! Almost 30 events & actions held in 14 states demanding Burger King do the right thing! November 12, 2007 - This Halloween season was particularly frightening for Burger King as SFA members held almost 30 educational events and protests calling on BK to stop the lies, stop the stalling, and start working with the CIW to truly address the sweatshop conditions and poverty faced by workers who pick its tomatoes. Check inside for just some of the pictures and highlights from around the country. It's time for Burger King to join Yum and McD's in helping to nudge Florida agriculture out of the ditch of perpetual exploitation. It's time for us, as Burger King's target demographic, to stand for justice and dignity for farmworkers and young people alike. Join us in Miami as we take that stand!
"Doom Days" quickly approaching for the King as CIW & allies step up pressure October 10, 2007 - On the heels of the sucessful CIW MiniTour, and as Burger King executives try to dig themselves out of their own pile of lies, SFA members will take to the streets across the country for the Kingdoom Days of Action demanding that Burger King take responsibility for the sweatshop conditions and human rights abuses in its tomato supply chain. From October 27 through November 4, join in for a week of creative Burger King actions to keep the heat on the King as we build toward the major march & rally on Burger King headquarters in Miami, Florida this November 30!
Lies and the lying liars who tell them... Update: October 10, 2007 - see all the details inside! If you can't attack the message, attack the messenger - Burger King caught in blatant lie, fast-food giant's PR strategy grows desperate! September 27, 2007 - When your opponent is left with nothing but lies in its defense, victory can’t be long in coming. That's the lesson we're taking from Burger King's recent behavior - which has included claims that "the CIW is asking BK to write it a check" and even questioning the existence of the CIW's agreements with Yum Brands and McDonald's. Desperation, indeed. But as the CIW's response to Burger King's outlandish attacks states, "When a giant takes a wild swing and misses, he leaves himself vulnerable, and can be brought to earth by the force of his own weight." Watch, read, and judge for yourself as Burger King goes dirty in its efforts to deflect growing public pressure for human rights in its tomato supply chain. And once you've been fired up by BK's web of deceit and cheap shots, join us and CIW allies from around the country in the upcoming Days of Action.
Students and youth across the country to engage in escalating education and action building up to national mobilization in Miami September 17, 2007 - From September 29 through November 30, students and youth across the country will engage in two months of education and action building up to the national mobilization in Miami and calling on the world's #2 burger chain to take responsibility and work with the CIW to improve farmworker wages and working conditions! Click here to find out how you can get involved in all the upcoming activities:
September 14, 2007 - SFA has been nominated for this month's Myspace Impact Award for Social Justice, and we need your help to win. Myspace users can vote for us today by clicking here. The Impact Awards recognize Myspace users who are using the site as a tool to help make positive change in the world. The winner in each category receives a cash prize of $10,000 and some prime real estate throughout Myspace for an entire month. This is an incredible opportunity not only for SFA to receive some sorely-needed funding, but also to spread the word about our organization and the Campaign for Fair Food to the millions of people who regularly use Myspace. So head on over to http://www.myspace.com/impactawards and vote for SFA now! 2007 SFA Encuentro a huge success!
September 7, 2007 - November 30 may be the official end of hurricane season, but for Burger King it will instead represent the culmination of a "perfect storm" of organizing, education, and action by the CIW's student and youth allies. About 90 SFA members gathered earlier this week in Immokalee for the hugely succesful, third-annual Encuentro, where they shared skills, built personal connections, visited Miami for an action at BK headquarters, and made plans for the escalating campaign to bring the world's #2 burger chain to the table to work with the CIW to improve farmworker wages and working conditions. Energy ran high for the entire weekend, which included concrete planning for what was deemed at the Encuentro as an upcoming "two months of education and action" featuring:
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for late-breaking news as we make good on the commitments from this year's Encuentro and show BK that our way is justice for farmworkers!
Encuentro and Miami action take aim at the King! August 30, 2007 - As the steady stream of students and youth trickles into Immokalee for the 3rd-annual SFA Encuentro, expectations and energy are running high for this weekend's gathering and tomorrow's action at Burger King headquarters in Miami. In addition to announcing a major mobilization against Burger King to take place this November, the student and youth allies of the CIW will be presenting this letter to Burger King CEO John Chidsey. An excerpt from the letter reads,
Stay tuned for the full report and photos from this year's Encuentro and the action in Miami!
From Broward County to Miami, summer actions provide small preview of things to come... August 7, 2007 - The 100-degree-plus heat index hitting southern Florida this week isn't the only thing making Burger King executives feel a little hot under the collar. As the first wave of workers trickles back into Immokalee from summer harvests up north, and as preparations continue for the 3rd-annual SFA Encuentro, Miami-area Burger King restaurants (and corporate headquarters) have been the scene of protests and delegations calling on the world's #2 burger chain to do the right thing and work with the CIW to bring about real improvements for farmworkers in its tomato supply chain. This summer of action led by farmworkers and their allies is just a small taste of what Burger King can expect this Fall as the Campaign for Fair Food escalates. How much longer will Burger King, Chipotle and the rest of the fast-food industry hold out and refuse to join Yum Brands and McDonald's in working with the CIW? The answer lies in part in the strength of the youth and student movement in solidarity with the CIW - a movement that will gather in Immokalee in just a few short weeks to strategize and plan the next steps in the campaign. Stay tuned as we hit the ground running for a Fall sure to be packed with exciting actions and developments in the Campaign for Fair Food!
SFA and CIW join thousands in Atlanta - "another US is necessary" July 1, 2007 - The recently-concluded, first-ever United States Social Forum brought together thousands of activists and organizers and hundreds of organizations for five jam-packed days of relationship-building and discussion and debate over the current course and future path of social justice movements in the US. Of course, SFA and CIW represented at the forum. A crew from Immokalee joined members of the SFA steering committee at various workshops, plenaries, and actions where topics such as the Campaign for Fair Food, the SFA and CIW's unique organizing philosophies, and our intersections with other movements took center stage. As the CIW's campaigns and victories over the years have shown us, another world is indeed possible. And for that world to come about, another US is necessary. The USSF may be a key moment in that process. Now let's make it happen.
Campaign for Fair Food rolls forward with BK in its sights! May 28, 2007 - In major news from the Campaign for Fair Food, Yum! Brands has extended the Taco Bell agreement to cover all five of its brands. This huge step brings the number of national fast-food chains working with the CIW to improve the wages and working conditions in Florida's fields to six, including Taco Bell and McDonald´s! This exciting news comes on the heels of two powerful national days of action against Burger King by farmworker allies calling on the fast-food chain to work with the CIW to expand and deepen these recent advancements in farmworker wages and working conditions. Increasingly, Burger King, Chipotle, and the rest of the fast-food industry are running out of excuses to not bring about these improvements in their own tomato supply chains.
From the Clown to the Crown: National BK actions May 11-12th! Fair Food movement powers forward with SFA days of action!
This May 11-12th, join students and young people across the country in standing with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to end sweatshops and modern-day slavery in the fields as we seek to expand the precedents of the Taco Bell and McDonald's agreements to the world's #2 burger chain. Click here for action ideas you can take in your own community, including dropping off the new BK manager letter. While BK uses the purchasing power of thousands of restaurants to drive down tomato prices - and, consequently, tomato pickers’ wages - it has publicly rejected working with the CIW to address human rights abuses in the fields (offering, instead, to "re-train" farmworkers to work in its restaurants). Ironically, BK recently announced an initiative to improve the treatment of farm animals in its supply chain. This May 11-12th, let's show Burger King that our way is justice and dignity for Florida farmworkers!
2007 Truth Tour smashes expectations, raises stakes for Fair Food movement! An unforgettable week, from landmark victory over McD's to electrifying "Concert for Fair Food!"
April 25, 2007 - For months, the 2007 Truth Tour was shaping up to be something very special: a major escalation of the McDonald's campaign puncutated with the largest protest in the history of the fast-food industry outside the headquarters of the world's largest restaurant chain. For months, an advance team of CIW and SFA members weathered the Chicago winter to carefully lay the groundwork for these two incredible days of action. And for months, SFA members from New York to Southern Califorina made plans to get themselves – and their communities – to the actions in Chicago. And then... Two days after leaving Immokalee, the Truth Tour pulled into The Carter Center in Atlanta, GA and announced a landmark agreement with McDonald's that lays the foundation for systemic, industry-wide change in Florida agriculture. The historic convergence in Chicago subsequently shifted to a celebration of this enormous victory and a declaration that Burger King would be the next major target in the Campaign for Fair Food. On April 14th, Chicago's House of Blues was packed to the rafters as the CIW and 2,000 allies came together for an unforgettable afternoon of music and celebration, including the historic reunion of Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine (above). Coming off the momentum of the Truth Tour and yet another resounding victory for farmworker justice, students and youth now take the fight to Miami-based Burger King! Stay tuned for upcoming action alerts and organizing resources!
On verge of major protest, CIW reaches landmark accord with McD's! Campaign surges forward with Burger King in its sights! Come to Chicago – now more than ever! Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello to play together April 14th!
April 9, 2007 - Today at The Carter Center in Atlanta, the CIW and McDonald's announced a landmark agreement to work together to improve the wages and working conditions of the farmworkers who pick Florida tomatoes. After two years of escalating pressure by the CIW and its allies, McDonald's has agreed to:
"Two years ago, our agreement with Yum Brands marked the first step toward a distant dream of ensuring human rights for workers in Florida’s fields," said Lucas Benitez of the CIW. "Today, with McDonald’s, we have taken another major step toward a world where we as farmworkers can enjoy a fair wage and humane working conditions in exchange for the hard and essential work we do every day. We’re not there yet, but we are getting there, and today’s agreement should send a strong message to the rest of the restaurant and supermarket industry that it is now time to stand behind the food they sell, from the field to the table."
As in the Taco Bell Boycott victory, youth and student organizing played a crucial role in the swift success of the McDonald's campaign. From aggressive grassroots education to nationally coordinated protests, SFA provided leadership to a broad and diverse network of young allies determined to transform McDonald's marketing "sweet spot" (18-24-year-olds) into a well-organized sore spot. This victory demonstrates once again the effectiveness and clout of the alliance between Florida's farmworkers and students and youth throughout the U.S. Building off this tremendous momentum, the Campaign for Fair Food now surges ahead at full speed – this time towards Miami-based Burger King. Two months ago, the world's #2 burger chain publicly rebuffed the CIW by rejecting a proposed partnership, smugly offering farmworkers jobs at Burger King restaurants instead of real rights and fair wages. Now as we move from the Clown to the Crown, this weekend's mobilization in Chicago – where Tom Morello and Zack de la Rocha of Rage Against the Machine have just confirmed they will perform together – takes on new significance. Join the CIW, SFA and thousands of allies in Chicago as we take the fight for fair food to an exciting new level!
April 7, 2007 - Early this morning, nearly 60 farmworkers from the CIW and a handful of allies departed from Immokalee officially kicking off the 2007 McDonald's Truth Tour. Over the next several days, the tour will make its way by bus from southwest Florida to the Windy City for the massive protests shaping up in McDonald's backyard on April 13th and 14th. Meanwhile, caravans of allies from New York City to Austin, Texas and plenty of points in between are making final preparations before hitting the road to join us in Chicago for the historic weekend. The Truth Tour comes on the heels of a busy spring of education and action around the McDonald's campaign. Just last week, students on dozens of campuses across the country organized Fair Food events for the annual Student Labor Week of Action and Farmworker Awareness Week. As in year's past, the Campaign for Fair Food was one of the highlights of the Week of Action, demonstrating once more the ever-growing support among young people for a shift towards a food industry that doesn't rely on the endless exploitation of farmworkers.
New letter rips McD's, kicks off Student Labor Week of Action! 9 national student orgs warn McD's: "Our patience is all but exhausted!"
To coincide with these activities, nine leading national student organizations released a powerful new letter today blasting McDonald's policies over the past two years and calling on the world's largest restaurant chain to work with the CIW to improve wages and working conditions in its tomato supply chain. The letter – signed by SFA, United Students Against Sweatshops, Student Labor Action Project, the National Latina/o Law Student Association, and others – warns:
Read the complete letter here. And don't miss the latest press from the SFA network:
Tom Morello confirms for Chicago; Midwest Encuentro a success!
McD's Truth Tour, major Chicago actions approaching! March 8, 2007 - Tom Morello (aka The Nightwatchman), former guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, has joined Zack de la Rocha, Olmeca, Son del Centro, the Hot 8 Brass Band, Rebel Diaz, and others as a confirmed participant in the CIW's Carnaval & Parade for Fair Food, Real Rights, and Dignity, April 14 in Chicago! Morello is just the latest artist to throw his support behind what is quickly shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend, with a jam-packed program full of music, protest, culture, and just maybe a bit of history. Make plans today to join us in Chicago for the April 13-14 mobilizations for farmworker justice!
SFA gears up for Truth Tour with Student Labor Week of Action! Our dreams, our rights – Demand a better future!
Kicking off just 10 days before the 2007 McDonald's Truth Tour departs from Immokalee, this year's Week of Action provides an excellent opportunity to pull out all the stops in mobilizing for the historic Chicago actions on April 13th and 14th. Ideas include last-minute education and outreach events, a fundraiser to help defray travel costs, op-ed's to campus and local newspapers explaining why you're going to Chicago, and of course, creative protest actions at McDonald's restaurants.
Feb. 14, 2007 - This April, farmworkers and their allies will gather in Chicago for an historic mobilization marking a new phase in the Campaign for Fair Food. But we know this struggle for dignity in the fields will not end with the actions against McDonald's this spring. Now is the time to come together and build the connections and skills we'll need in the months and years ahead. Join us Feb. 23-24 in Chicago for the Midwest Encuentro – a networking and strategy gathering of youth, student, community and labor allies of the CIW:
Workshop topics include: Presentation and discussions with farmworker leaders from Immokalee; "Fair Food Animators" training; Mobilizing for the April 13-14 actions; Educating and engaging communities beyond April; Solidarity and connections between our struggles; Art-making and action at local McDonald's! Come join us, whether you're in the immediate Chicago area or the broader Midwest. Participating cities include Urbana-Champaign, Carbondale, Minneapolis, and Madison. Housing will be provided for those coming from out of town. Contact us to RSVP or for more information.
Feb. 1, 2007 - The Coalition of Immokalee Workers has called two days of historic mobilization for farmworker justice in the Golden Arches' backyard capping off the 2007 McDonald's Truth Tour.
"Caravans of justice" are being organized from all points of the country to the Windy City, home of fast-food giant McDonald's. The Campaign for Fair Food – demanding that McDonald's take responsibility for the decades of grinding poverty and degradation in its tomato supply chain – is rapidly building toward a decisive turning point. Farmworkers from Immokalee and their allies are going up against one of the world's largest corporations to demand the dignity of workers and consumers alike. Will you be there? This April, join us for this pivotal and historic convergence. For two years, we've been patient while McD's stalled. Now is the time to show our collective strength and creativity, turning out the largest possible numbers in Chicago:
Please contact us with any questions you may have. See you in April!
Historic mobilization to usher in "new phase" in Campaign for Fair Food! Jan. 10, 2007 - "Today, we are tired, in the words of Martin Luther King Jr., of 'relying on the good will and understanding of those who profit by exploiting us.'" So declared the CIW in announcing a major mobilization in the Chicago area this April aimed at fast-food giant and industry leader McDonald's.
Looking back, looking forward... Dec. 21, 2006 - We take a moment as the end of another year looms to reflect back on "the year that was" in the struggle for fair food. Click here for a summary of the actions, events, campaign developments, and more from the ever-escalating efforts to make McDonald's take responsibility for the poverty and abuse in its tomato supply chain.
 New steering committee selected amidst continuing McD's actions!
Plus, another Rolando sighting in Chicago and more local fair food committees take root! Nov. 27, 2006 - We are pleased to announce the 2007 SFA Steering Committee! The selection of the SC represents another milestone in the development of the SFA network, and increases the Steering Committee to 18 members. This talented group of young organizers and leaders will be key as the escalating campaign against McDonald's continues, and every day more of McD's "sweet spot" becomes its sore spot.
CIW Mini-Tour and SFA Days of Action turn up the heat on McD's!
Nov. 2, 2006 - The 2006 CIW Midwest Mini-Tour has returned to Immokalee after a hugely successful 10 days of classroom presentations, discussions, protests, and consciousness-building around the Campaign for Fair Food. SFA was there at every step of the tour, talking to students and young people about the pivotal role we can, and indeed must, play in this struggle. From Carbondale to Urbana-Champaign, from Chicago to South Bend, the tour received a huge reception and positive energy from thousands of people who make up what McDonald's calls its "sweet spot." Click here to read a report from the Mini-Tour.
Oct. 14, 2006 - As excitement continues to mount for the upcoming Oct. 27-28th National Days of Action, farmworkers from the CIW and their allies are traveling from Immokalee, FL to Chicago, IL as part of the 2006 McDonald's Mini-Tour! The tour – which will visit campuses and communities in Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana from Oct. 15th-23rd – will bring a clear message to consumers and McD's executives alike: "There's sweatshop tomatoes under the Golden Arches!" In recent weeks, the CIW's Campaign for Fair Food has received growing support ranging from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops to actors Martin Sheen ("Apocalypse Now") and Matthew Modine ("Full Metal Jacket"). Now, the McDonald's Mini-Tour aims to bring the campaign to wider audiences right in McDonald's backyard. Click here for the itinerary, media advisory, and photo reports! Meanwhile, the National Latina/o Law Student Association presented SFA with the 2006 Community Service Award at its recent conference in Seattle! According to NLLSA, the award "is presented yearly to an organization that has demonstrated a wholehearted commitment to the defense or the empowerment of Latino communities across the country." In addition to concrete victories in partnership with the CIW, the award also cites the SFA's "collaborative organizing philosophy and structure" as important achievements. (Click here to read the complete letter.) We're truly honored to receive this accolade and look forward to our continued work with the students of NLLSA. Finally, don't miss the latest story on Ag-Mart – a known supplier of McD's grape tomatoes. A recent expose in North Carolina's News and Observer found 30-40 workers for Florida-based Ag-Mart living in "crowded, squalid housing" with "no hot water, no shower, and not enough beds." One wonders if these dehumanizing conditions are indeed what McD's expects from its "SAFE-certified" growers. For how much longer will the fast-food industry cling to illusions of impunity in the face of such abuse? The answer, in part, lies in our hands. Let's make sure this message is heard on Oct. 27th and 28th. 1-2 Punch! Nationwide McDonald's actions Oct. 27-28th From 'sweet spot' to sore spot!...
Oct. 3, 2006 - This October 27-28th, join |
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