Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Making Food Fair! The Coalition of Immokalee Farm Workers Stages Labor Day Protests Against Publix




Check out these change inspiring protests by the Coalition of Immokollee Farmworkers this past Labor Day Weekend of Action!  As this article states, "The workers this time had a powerful new weapon in their arsenal as they headed into the long weekend of action — the Fair Food Program” 


The Fair Food Program is an “unparalleled human rights program that, in the course of the past three years, has become the model for social responsibility in the US agriculture industry”.  The program consists of wage increases for farm workers that are supported by a price premium paid by corporate purchasers of Florida tomatoes (one penny extra per pound of tomatoes purchased), and a human-rights-based Code of Conduct throughout the Florida tomato industry.  The price premium and Code of Conduct were developed in a groundbreaking collaboration between tomato workers, growers, and corporate buyers.  In short, the Fair Food Program lays the foundation for a new model of social accountability in domestic food production. 

Programs like the Fair Food Program are critical to securing human rights for marginalized farm workers and producers here in the US.  With the high degree of consolidation in the food industry today, multi-billion dollar brands on the retail end of the industry are able to leverage their high volume purchasing power to demand increasingly lower prices for the food products they buy – resulting in unlivable, low wages for farm workers. 



Publix, the largest and fastest growing supermarket chain in the United States, has yet to sign on to the Fair Food Program.  Hopefully protests like the Coalition of Immokalee Farmworkers Labor Day Weekend of Action can sway their opinion.  But it may not be enough.  As consumers, we need to let our grocers, restaurants, food carts, and co-ops know that Fair Food matters to us!  Buy products labeled as Fair Trade and shop at places that have already signed on to the Fair Food Program such as Trader Joe’s, Chipotle, and Whole Foods Market. 



For more information on the Fair Food Program and a complete list of companies participating, visit http://ciw-online.org/ffp_faq/

And don't let your ethical shopping stop at tomatoes!  Shop ethical, Fair Trade, and sustainable all the time with AWAZ Voice for Empowerment.  


Monday, September 2, 2013

Al Jazeera America Fault Lines: Made in Bangladesh Video. Children as Young as 12 Are Making Clothing for Old Navy in Bangladesh

I found these two videos today on ecouterre. They blew my mind when I took a minute to watch them.

It was clothing for Wal-Mart’s Faded Glory brand that was being made when the factory in Rama Plaza in Bangladesh collapsed. Still the families who lost lives have yet to be compensated.

Go Behind the Scenes in Bangladesh Garment Factories and see how Wal-Mart evades accountability for their cut-throat business practices. 

Thanks to Al Jazeera  America’s latest edition in Fault Lines – holding the world accountable.







It's not only Wal-Mart. It's Old Navy, it's everyone else doing business as usual. Watch this short 2.5 minute video and see why Awaz is working to do something different.

Help Workers stand up against Wal-Mart. Learn more about the Making Change at Wal-Mart Campaign.



and don't forget to fuel the change....shop ethical clothing.