CIW in Chicago!!

We're super excited that folks from Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) will include Chicago as one of their stops in their Mini Midwest tour! They'll be here Thursday, October 27th through Saturday the 29th and we've made sure to include several opportunities for you all to hear them speak.

But, a little more on who is coming....

Santiago Perez is originally from Guatemala and has been a farmworker in Immokalee for seven years. He recently became a staff member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). The CIW is a community-based farmworker organization headquartered in Immokalee, Florida, with over 4,000 members. The CIW seeks modern working conditions for farmworkers and promotes their fair

treatment in accordance with national and international human rights standards.

Marc Rodrigues is originally from New York and has lived in Immokalee for five years as a national organizer with the Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA). SFA is a national network of students and youth organizing and working in partnership with farmworkers to eliminate sweatshop conditions and modern-day slavery in the fields.

Come learn how students, community members, people of faith, and consumers can partner with farm-workers in this historical movement to end human rights abuses and poverty wages in tomato fields as we examine how to hold supermarket giants like Trader Joe's accountable to the profit they make from farm-worker exploitation.

Sweatshop in the Fields
Casa Aztlan

1831 S Racine Ave, Chicago 60608

Thursday Oct 27 at 6:30
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165422820214543

CIW present: Campaign for Fair Food
Mexico Solidarity Network

3460 West Lawrence, Chicago 606025
Friday Oct 28 at 7
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=191232654285535

Fair Food Chain: Presentation and Protest
Occupy Chicago
Saturday Oct 29 at 3pm
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=290235520994729

Protest @ Trader Joe's Grand Opening

Our second protest was held at the grand opening of the Trader Joe's South Loop location on Friday, September 9th!

It was 8am when we arrived and there were several people already standing outside who were really excited to welcome a supposedly affordable/sustainable "neighborhood" supermarket. After Alderman Fioretti cut the ribbon and all the customers were shuffled in, the manager came out to address a representative from Just Harvest and two CIW workers who approached him about our concerns. He very quickly pushed our concerns to the side and instead urged us to visit the Trader Joe's website for their corporate stance on the issue.

However, we explained that the CIW has already responded and we would like to enter a real dialogue...

Over the course of the day the movement had grown tenfold! What was a delegation of 7 in the morning and came back that evening with 80 friends and allies to express our frustration that Traitor Joe's has still not signed on to the fair food agreement. We raised our voices in protest, picketed to chants of "Exploitation's not the way! Traitor Joe's has got to pay!" Felipe from ROC Chicago spoke about his support of CIW and how it connects to restaurant workers in Chicago. A BIG Thanks to Jarochicanos who came out to play for us while we were there.

Chicago Fair Food is back & Trader Joe's is wack

Hey folks, we're back & this time we're taking on Trader Joe's!

Trader Joe's has the opportunity to join 9 other corporate food retailers -- including Whole Foods, McDonald's, Taco Bell, Sodexo, Aramark, Burger King and more -- who are working with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to end sub-poverty wages and improve working conditions.

Below is a brief reportback of our most recent action against Trader Joe's on July 17th. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming actions and mark your calendars for September 9th when we will "celebrate" the opening of a new Traitor Joe's in the loop at 1147 South Wabash, Chicago.

At the beginning of the action around 4PM, there were approximately 15 of us gathered to protest. We created a picket line starting from the SE corner of Diversey and Orchard. Because the store has windows all along Diversey and is where the cash registers are, our visibility was great, and none of the employees or customers could miss us. Some of us were in charge of flyering, urging folks to take action by signing manager letters and postcards, and signing up to be on our listserv. A couple of customers gladly submitted the letter to the manager and non customers seemed even easier to engage. Half way in, our musically inclined organizers and a friendly clarinet player started playing music. By then we were around 25 people picketing--the mood lightened and enthusiasm increased. We wrapped up the action after an hour vowing to be back bigger and stronger. Overall, the action was great! especially given that it was our first action after coming out of hibernation, and one we all feel we can build on. Everyone had a role whether it was engaging passersby, energizing the crowd, passing out art, or taking pictures. Chicago Fair Food is back and just like we announced, we're going to return bigger and stronger!

For more pictures, check out our facebook page: Chicago Fair Food

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/211530575555923

Hope to see you September 9th at the opening of the Trader Joe's location downtown at 1147 South Wabash, Chicago. If you have any questions, you can reach us at chitownfairfood@gmail.com

2011 IN REVIEW

The start of the year turned into a huge mobilization on the part of CIW & Allies, from touring the Northeast & Southeast, then turning it's attention to the supermarket giant, PUBLIX in Tampa, Florida, the staff, members and allies have been busy getting the message out to the public about the conditions in the fields, but more importantly, getting the message out to consumers as well that we need their support too in order to get PUBLIX to stop dilly-dallying around and sign the agreement with the CIW for the penny a pound, along with the code of conduct. PUBLIX thus far has ignored our pleas, but we will not stop....this year we sent a delegation from Chicago & nearby areas to TAMPA, FLORIDA to join the CIW in the march on Publix to DO THE RIGHT THING!

"It is not a question of whether we will win, but when. And when we do win, we will not only help free workers from oppressive conditions in the fields, but we will also free Publix from the impossible burden of supporting and justifying that oppression." (quote from Lucas Benitez of CIW)

I too have said similar words...we will not give up, we have the power of the people behind this movement, and when we do WIN, it will be a joyous occassion for all the workers, and consumers as well as PUBLIX, because like Lucas said, it will then free Publix from the impossible burden of supporting and justifying the oppression in the fields.

Hasta LaVictoria!! www.ciw-online.org

Holiday Greetings & Exciting News for 2011

Since we share information with our friends & allies from across the country, I just wanted to take the opportunity to inform everyone that in NYC exciting stuff is going on too....

The Community Farmworker Alliance-NYC is hosting a Northeast Encuentro to take place February 4th-6th, 2011 in New York City. The Encuentro is a regional gathering of supporters and allies of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW). The CIW is a worker-led organization of mainly Latino, Mayan Indian and Haitian farmworkers working in the fields of Florida. They are fighting for higher wages and better working conditions.


Community, youth, student and faith allies work hand-in-hand with the CIW to drive their work at a national level. The Encuentro will be a space for these allies to:

•Learn about the CIW's Campaign for Fair Food from CIW members and allies

•Share ideas and meet cool people through fun workshops

•Take action together at a demonstration at Trader Joe's

•Connect through diverse musical traditions and art making

•Prepare for a National CIW mobilization to take place in late February in Boston, Massachusetts.
For more information, please contact farmworkersolidarirty@gmail.com.

Posted by Community/Farmworker Alliance NYC


Additionally let's not forget that we also have information geared towards the 2011 - SAVE THE DATE MARCH 3 -5, 2011 in Tampa, FL Huge Action against one of the south's largest grocery stores, quote direct from the mouth of PUBLIX: (David Thomas)

"We don’t have any plans to sit down with the CIW. If there are some atrocities going on, it’s not our business." harsh words right? but PUBLIX does not know or rather assumes that we will give up and meekly go away, NO, NOT ANYMORE we want justice for the farmworkers in the growing fields of Florida, which incidentally PUBLIX headquarters is located in the same state - and the CIW/farmworkers are in Publix's backyard. Save the date come on down to Tampa, join us for this historic action!!!



SAVE THE DATES! http://sfalliance.org/index.html#action

Make plans today to join us for the biggest actions of 2011 calling on supermarket giants Ahold USA (parent company of Stop & Shop and Giant) and Publix to drop their intransigence and support dignified wages and respect for farmworkers in their supply chains!

Sunday, February 27, 2011: Boston, MA
March on Stop & Shop

Friday & Saturday, March 4-5, 2011: Tampa, FL
Farmworker & ally encampment; March on Publix; Rally and Concert for Fair Food

February 28 thru March 3: Fair Food Truth Tour
+ Publix actions in the Southeast US

Details TBA | Contact us for more info | "Save the Date" flyer


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Community/Farmworker Alliance Northeast Encuentro
February 4-6, 2011 — NYC
Fair Food allies from across the MId-Atlantic and Northeast encouraged to attend!

United Students Against Sweatshops National Conference
February 4-5, 2011 — Columbus, OH
+ Delegation to Kroger Headquarters in Cincinnati

Real Food Challenge Northeast Food and Justice Summit
February 25-27, 2011 — Boston, MA

WHY WE MARCH

A brief history of inhumanity:
Three centuries of forced agricultural labor on the banks of the St. Johns...

"Evans' workers walked in the footsteps of the slaves that Rolle brought to Florida in the 1700's. Their sweat mixed with the same soil..."

this map one of many reasons why the CIW decided to roll out the Modern Day Museum, to teach how this forced labor ie modern day slavery still exists, but little by little, the CIW has helped put an end to some of this forced slavery...please read further below.

The map, which a CIW delegation first came across at the British Museum when in London three years ago to receive the Anti-Slavery International award, allows us to trace the arc of three centuries of forced labor, not just at the state level but within the confines of one particular North Florida community. The story of this community -- of this soil -- is the story of the evolution of slavery in Florida writ small.

Rollestown

The story begins on the banks of the St. Johns River in the 1770's on a plantation owned by Denys Rolle, a former member of the British parliament. According to the University of North Florida's historical archives:

"The Rolle estate at 'the narrows' on the St. Johns River was unmanageably large, stretching for twenty-three miles along the St. Johns River from Federal Point to the north shore of Dunn's Creek... The towns of East Palatka, Hastings, Spuds, and San Mateo, and the fields of potatoes, cabbages, and winter vegetables that surround them, now occupy portions of a three-county conglomerate once owned by Denys Rolle." (Note: the plantation sits east of the river, just inside the north-east quadrant of the map above; the map below is a detail showing the exact location of the Rolle plantation.) .... for the entire article please log onto http://www.ciw-online.org/a_brief_history_of_inhumanity.html#inhumanity

This is how many of the farmworkers have been treated in the near past...until the CIW started working with the people .. the workers to put an end not only to the sub-poverty wages, but to modern day slavery as well.

This past weekend, April 16 - 18, 2010 people from all across the United States boarded buses, cars, trains, planes all to embark on the Farmworker Freedom March which began in Tampa, FL all the way to the doors of Publix - Corporate Headquarters in Lakeland, FL. The line of people - allies from across the country stretched as far as the eye could see, the people walked for over 20 miles in solidarity with the farmworkers to voice their concern at how Publix Corporation, the largest privately owned grocery store in the South continues to refuse to work with the ciw to ensure that there is justice in the fields...up until the eve of the march this refusal on the part of Publix to work with CIW was 'no', then on the eve of the march Publix came out publicly and stated that they are not purchasing tomatoes from the two farms, too little too late is the response from our friends @ CIW.

Publix still refuses to meet with the CIW and negotiate a better way on their part to handle the worsening situation at hand. It is not a workers vs employer, it is a human rights issue as well, the workers deserve to earn a living wage, be treated fairly, and with justice, again the CIW wants to work with Publix, but until the moment they actually sit across from each other at the table the issue remains unresolved. This momentous march was only the tip of the iceberg, if people, students, parents, people of faith, and most of all the works came out to this grand march, then we are resolved to keep working in solidarity for justice!

MODERN DAY SLAVERY MUSEUM

The "Modern Day Slavery Museum" rolled out across the state of Florida with stops throughout the entire state. The box truck depicts how in 2010 modern day slavery is still enforced in many farming communities throughout the State of Florida.

"The white truck's cargo space is dark, cluttered and hot - walls lined with stained plywood, cardboard boxes stacked head-high, a clanking steel roll-down door that locks from outside.

This is what home looked like for some of the Navarrete family's slaves.

The replica of the box truck in which the Navarette family of Florida kept their slaves locked up before they went to federal prison in 2008 for keeping 12 slaves they forced to pick tomatoes on some of Florida's biggest farms. After promising the Mexican and Guatemalan men work, Navarrete family members confiscated their IDs, tied, chained and beat them if they tried to leave. Although they advanced their victims "credit" for necessities, they didn't pay them for their work, all of which added up to slavery "plain and simple," according Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Molloy.

And here we thought SLAVERY ENDED IN 1865 but yet it still happens in modern day America.

The CIW along with many of their allies will be making stops throught the state of Florida and invite everyone to stop by, listen and learn how to stop this from happening....

http://ciw-online.org/