Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
Protecting Food. Empowering Whistleblowers.
Great news! Yesterday it was announced that Trader Joe’s has, at last, signed an agreement with the Florida-based farmworker organization – the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) – to support the group’s Fair Food Program and demand better labor standards from the store’s Florida tomato suppliers.
The agreement involves an increase in tomato farmworkers’ wages and labor standards, including a Code of Conduct that gives workers a stronger voice if problems arise – vital for these often-stifled would-be whistleblowers at the source of our food supply.
One year ago this week, FIC was happy to feature CIW’s campaign efforts at our food whistleblower conference in Washington, D.C. Watch the presentation by Rev. Noelle Damico in the video below (starting at 27:00):
Yesterday’s move comes after an exerted campaign effort to hold the grocery chain accountable for its commitment to ethical purchasing practices.
Campaign actions were scheduled this weekend at more than 40 Trader Joe’s locations around the country. In light of the agreement, the events have been canceled. Focused efforts will continue for other supermarket chains yet to sign the Fair Food agreement, including Publix, Ahold and Kroger.
Sarah Damian is Communications Manager for the Food Integrity Campaign.