UH food service provider Aramark buys 90 percent of its tomatoes from Florida, where a controversy of labor abuse has generated.
On April 1, Aramark signed a nationwide contract to work with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, agreeing to abide by fair labor laws in the tomato fields and to increase pay by at least 1 cent to benefit farmers.
“Most workers must pick two and half tons of tomatoes in a 12-hour work day to make $50, which is impossible … they are making about $27 a day,” Fair Labor Action Committee co-founder Brendan Laws said. “So instead of getting 40 to 50 cents for a 32-pound bucket, the agreement ensures that they get almost double that.
“This means at grocery stores the tomatoes may be 99 cents; well, the increase would be up to a dollar. Not a huge difference, but to the farm workers, it makes a huge difference because that almost doubles what they make.”
The agreement also addresses the growing problem of labor abuse.
“Modern day slavery is still a prevalent issue in Florida,” Laws said. “Since 1997, there have been seven convicted cases of slavery in Florida, and the latest was convicted in 2008 where men were chained inside a panel truck, brought out during the day to work and then chained again at night.”
Laws said that some farmers take extreme measures to free themselves.
“One man had to break a hole through the roof of a panel truck, escape, go get a ladder to help the others get out and then went to the coalition office to get help where they were able to protect the workers,” Laws said.
The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, a council of major landowners that grow tomatoes in Florida, has several companies that agreed to the pay increase. Some did not comply with the implementation because they felt uninvolved in the decision-making.
“Big landowners in the past have said they agree to the terms, but they profit off the low wages of the workers,” Laws said. “When the farm workers are involved, it is in their best interest to get paid higher because they want the best for the people in their community.”
Though Aramark is legally bound to buy tomatoes only from companies that have signed the contract, they also have to enforce an ethical code of conduct that ensures no slavery, violence and workers abuse and involves worker’s participation with wages.
FLAC based a recent campaign around tomatoes because the CIW is specifically involved with tomato farm workers.
“This is a way to help farm workers and is an area that has been very successful,” Laws said. “It is similar to the United Farm Workers movement in California in the 60s and 70s behind Cesar Chavez, where the tomatoes are just one aspect of the consumption that can help farm workers and part of the larger scheme of things.
“If these farm workers are helped, it sets an example for other farm workers. If these farm workers can make a better change for themselves, then other farm workers can be inspired and do similar things.”
Aramark and Compass Group have agreed to the food service campaign, so FLAC is now focused on its grocery store campaign, which targets the second largest grocery store retailer in the country, Kroger.
Members said they are continuing to fight for human rights and towards a fair food industry by joining the Farm Workers March in Florida.
“We are trying to get grocery stores to make the same agreement,” Laws said. “We just want Kroger to do the right thing, like they should be doing already.”
Good job covering this, Daily Cougar!
Not supporting slavery and poverty is important for our University and our community.
Since I think this article is so relevant, I would like to introduce an errata:
1. In the subtitle, “Low wages of workers and farmers:” It would be better to say “Farm workers’ low wages.” Why the division? It is better to say “farm workers” because it clarifies that they work the land directly (they pick the tomatoes we eat), but they do not own the land (they are not the camp owners, they are not the growers). Visit this link (http://sfalliance.org/resources/Why%20PennyPerPound%20Matters.pdf) to know more about the difference and why it matters.
2. In the text, “abide by fair labor laws.” The tenants of the Coalition of Immolakee Workers are not “laws,” they are principles rather.
3. In the text, “The Florida Tomato Growers Exchange, a council of major landowners that grow tomatoes in Florida, [is giving the pay increase Aramark and other companies have agreed to directly to the workers ]. Some [growers have] not comply with the implementation because they [feel] uninvolved in the decision-making.”
Solidarity,
Marianela