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Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) is a national network of students and youth organizing in direct partnership and solidarity with farmworkers to eliminate sweatshop conditions and modern-day slavery in the fields. We understand our work as part of a worldwide "movement of movements" for economic, social and ecological justice. We organize closely with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) , a membership-led community organization in SW Florida comprised largely of Latino, Haitian, and Mayan Indian immigrants working in agricultural and other low-wage jobs throughout the state.
Only farmworkers can speak for themselves. SFA is dedicated to working with farmworkers for change, but we will not act on their behalf. Instead, we take our lead from the workers themselves. This affirms a belief in direct action and direct democracy where people and communities act through their own power to control and change their own lives.
Student/Farmworker Alliance
Coalition of Immokalee Workers The Burger King campaign has come to an end! On Friday, May 23, representatives from the CIW & Burger King came together on Capitol Hill to sign an agreement to improve the wages & working conditions for Florida tomato pickers.
With this agreement, Burger King finally acknowledges the reality of farmworker poverty & exploitation that it has denied for over a year, & commits to: • pay an extra net penny per pound for its tomatoes directly to the farmworkers who pick them;
• join other fast-food industry leaders and the CIW in calling for an industry-wide net penny per pound surcharge to increase wages for Florida tomato harvesters; and
• together with the CIW, establish zero tolerance guidelines for certain unlawful activities that require immediate termination of any grower from Burger King's supply chain. In a joint press release, BK CEO John Chidsey also publicly apologized for his company's efforts to smear the reputation of the CIW, stating: "The CIW has been at the forefront of efforts to improve farm labor conditions, exposing abuses and driving socially responsible purchasing and work practices in the Florida tomato fields. We apologize for any negative statements about the CIW or its motives previously attributed to BKC or its employees and now realize that those statements were wrong." Check out all the details at the CIW & SFA websites!
Now that Burger King has committed to working together with the CIW, our focus turns to the rest of the U.S. food industry. To companies like Whole Foods & Chipotle, who base their public images on "sustainability" and "integrity" while ignoring the human rights crisis in their tomato supply chain. And to other companies, like Subway and Wal-Mart, that have profited from--and ignored--farmworker poverty for too long.
In the words of CIW member Lucas BenÃtez at the May 23rd press conference announcing the successful end of the Burger King Campaign: "...to all of you who have marched with us, organized petition drives with us, prayed with us, and struggled with us, today is a day to celebrate this hard-fought victory. Tomorrow, with renewed energy and purpose, we begin our work again to make respect for fundamental human rights in Florida's tomato fields truly universal."
Check out these great videos featuring SFA & CIW:
¿Y Ahora Qué? (CIW + proyecto autogestión )
A 16-minute on the 2007 Truth Tour & CIW's victory over McDonald's. Featuring an original song about CIW performed by Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha & Tom Morello at the 2007 Truth Tour’s " Concert for Fair Food ." Contact us for a free hi-res DVD of this documentary. (great for film screenings!)
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With These Hands (CIW)
A new short featuring the hands at the base of the $100 billion fast food industry.
¿Quién Sigue? (Austin Indymedia)
A video report by the Austin Indymedia crew from the 2006 Truth Tour’s march on McDonald’s.
Immokalee: From Slavery to Freedom (Pan Left)
A favorite from the Taco Bell days & good primer on CIW history.
NOW with David Brancaccio (PBS)
The Battle Fields (2005) - A 15-minute, Emmy-nominated documentary about the success and future of the CIW and SFA after the Taco Bell boycott.
Pay Day (2007) - A follow-up to the 2005 segment, "Pay Day" covers the historic victory against McDonald's (Hint, the story follows an good report on the collapsing housing market. You'll either have to watch that first, or wait for the entire file to finish downloading. Be patient!)
Contact us for a DVD of all these videos, along with guidelines and pointers for giving effective and accurate presentations about the campaign in your classrooms and community spaces. These are a great way to build a local base of support!
And when you're ready to take action , look no further than the SFA website for ideas, including creative protests, manager letters and postcard drops, plus other materials to get you started!
For a list of local organizers, click here .