On Thursday afternoon, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Walmart issued a joint press release announcing that Walmart had signed on to the Fair Food Program. The Fair Food Program’s goal is to improve the wages and working conditions of immigrant farm workers who pick tomatoes sold to retailers and restaurants.
The Fair Food Program originated as a project of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, an alt-labor organization operating in Western Florida that advocates for migrant farmworkers’ rights. By entering into the Fair Food Program, Walmart is agreeing to purchase tomatoes from growers in compliance with the Program’s requirements.
These requirements include an increase in wages of a penny per pound of tomatoes picked, compliance with a code of conduct, education sessions advising workers of their rights and responsibilities, the generation of a complaint resolution mechanism for workers to contact, the creation of health and safety commissions on individual farms, and ongoing audits of the farms to ensure compliance with the Program.
Walmart is far from the first buyer to participate in the Program. Other restaurants and retailers include Whole Foods, Chipotle, Subway, Burger King, McDonalds, Trader Joe’s, and Yum Brands, the owner of TacoBell, KFC, and Pizza Hut.
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June 4
Federal agencies violate federal court order pausing mass layoffs; Walmart terminates some jobs in Florida following Supreme Court rulings on the legal status of migrants; and LA firefighters receive a $9.5 million settlement for failure to pay firefighters during shift changes.
June 3
Federal judge blocks Trump's attack on TSA collective bargaining rights; NLRB argues that Grindr's Return-to-Office policy was union busting; International Trade Union Confederation report highlights global decline in workers' rights.
June 2
Proposed budgets for DOL and NLRB show cuts on the horizon; Oregon law requiring LPAs in cannabis dispensaries struck down.
June 1
In today’s news and commentary, the Ninth Circuit upholds a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration, a federal judge vacates parts of the EEOC’s pregnancy accommodation rules, and video game workers reach a tentative agreement with Microsoft. In a 2-1 decision issued on Friday, the Ninth Circuit upheld a preliminary injunction against the Trump Administration […]
May 30
Trump's tariffs temporarily reinstated after brief nationwide injunction; Louisiana Bill targets payroll deduction of union dues; Colorado Supreme Court to consider a self-defense exception to at-will employment
May 29
AFGE argues termination of collective bargaining agreement violates the union’s First Amendment rights; agricultural workers challenge card check laws; and the California Court of Appeal reaffirms San Francisco city workers’ right to strike.