Farmworkers and allies score victory in agreement with Philadelphia-based Aramark Corporation

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a Florida grassroots farmworker organization, and allies in Philadelphia and nationwide are celebrating a successful campaign against Aramark. The multinational food service company, based in Philadelphia, is the eighth company to agree to partner with the CIW to ensure fair wages and humane working conditions for Florida tomato pickers in their supply chain. The company bowed to the pressure of a growing nationwide campaign that included successful student organizing on numerous university campuses, weekly pickets at Aramark's corporate headquarters in Philadelphia and a rally and delegation to Aramark Headquarters lead by the CIW and United Workers last December. Local allies of the CIW who contributed to this win include Media Mobilizing Project, students at Penn, St. Joe's and Temple, The United Taxi Workers Alliance, Just Harvest and Student/ Farmworker Alliance.

The struggle towards an end to modern-day slavery continues.  The CIW is inviting allies nationwide to join the Farmworker Freedom March, April 16-18 from Tampa to Publix corporate headquarters in Lakeland, Florida. This three day march calls on Publix, a large grocery store chain, to work with the CIW to ensure dignity, fair wages and human rights protections for farmworkers. Allies will be traveling to the march via caravan from cities across the country, and will have an opportunity to visit the traveling Florida Modern-Day Slavery Museum and learn about some of the harshest conditions endured by workers in Florida's fields. Events will also include a celebration of the victory with Aramark.  For more information or to join the caravan leaving from Philadelphia, contact rose@sfalliance.org

Read more about the agreeement with Aramark here.

 

Watch a video about the Farmworker Freedom March here.