March 18, 2008

National Day of Action Targets Fast Food Giant

Posted by Suemedha Sood at 1:47PM

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BK

First it was Taco Bell, then McDonalds, and now Burger King. We’re not talking about greasy fried things, we’re talking about poor working conditions for immigrant farmworkers.

Boycotts and protests by the Student/Farmworker Alliance got Taco Bell and McDonalds to buckle under the pressure and give back just a tiny fraction of profits to ensure decent working conditions for tomato farmworkers struggling with poverty.

Now it's Burger King's turn.

On March 31st, farmworkers, students, and activists from across the country come together to fight the good fight against the home of the whopper on the SFA National Day of Action. Farmworkers and students will hold local protests, screen films on Burger King and farmworker poverty, and collect petition signatures.

The SFA won victories with Yum Brands (in 2005) and McDonalds (in 2007), forcing the corporations to take responsibility for the poor working conditions of their tomato farmers. After years of boycotting, Taco Bell and McDonalds came to agreements with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to nearly double workers’ sub-poverty wages, pay a penny more per pound for Florida tomatoes, and enforce codes of conduct for agricultural suppliers.

But Burger King just won’t back down. The fast food monarch even joined with the tomato industry to launch a campaign threatening the deals made by McDonalds and Taco Bell.

Fortunately, the SFA won’t back down either.

On the SFA Day of Action, Burger King will learn just what farmworkers and students think of the big bad fast food chain. If the protests and boycotts don't eventually do the trick, the bad press hopefully will.

Visit SFA to find out how to get involved with National Day of Action events in your area or to find out how to organize your own events.