Article gives a shout out to Denver Fair Food!

This recent Examiner article from Denver, as part of National Farmworker Awareness Week, takes a look at the ongoing plight faced by the nation's farm laborers as well as references our upcoming protest outside of Quiznos Corporate Headquarters (happening today!). It's worth checking out: Farmworker protests at Quiznos headquarters See you on the Picket line!

First Spring Blitz Action: Tomatoes Attack!

The first action of Spring Blitz for Farmworker Justice was a swift affair. A small cadre of tomatoes from Florida's fields - outraged at the abusive conditions conditions which they've seen the workers who pick them laborering under for decades - descended on Quiznos on Denver's busy 16th Street Mall in order to tell the Denver-based sub franchise that it must start supporting the pinciples of Fair Food established by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

The CIW's Fair Food principles are beginning to improve the wages and working conditions of tomato pickers throughout Florida. But for this new - and still fragile - era of human rights and dignity for Florida's farmworkers to thrive and grow, more companies like Quiznos need to place their substantial purchasing power behind the new higher standards.

This was the message that the Immokalee tomatoes shared with this Quiznos franchise owner. The franchise owner surprised everyone by saying that not only did he fully support the idea of farmworkers receiving fair wages and working conditions but he actually spoke with Quiznos Headquarters and encouraged them to sign an agreement with the CIW. Unfortunately, Quiznos has not taken his advise, and until it does, protests will have to continue.

And more and more consumers will be awakened to the reality that Quiznos has refused to do its part to end the exploitation of those whose labor provides the tomatoes which top its sandwhiches. Within 15 minutes, the tomatoes outside this store had passed out well over 100 fliers to curious customers and passers by. When will Quiznos finally start listening to its customers, franchisees and . . . tomatoes?

Join us for the next Spring Blitz actions:

Sunday, March 27, 12:00noon
Quiznos at 1275 Grant St. (13th & Grant)[map]
Picket at 1st ever Quiznos

Thursday, March 31, 12:00noon
Quiznos Headquarters, 1001 17th St. (17th & Curtis)[map]
Cesar Chavez Day Protest and Rally! honor the continuing struggle for farmworker justice!

Quick Updates: Denver at the "Do the Right Thing" March, César Chávez Day March and more

In Denver, we may be gearing up for the Spring Blitz for Farmowker Justice, but we wanted to give a quick update about recent happenings and upcoming events.

Pictured here are the Denver Fair Foodistas who traveled to Tampa, Florida to participate in the CIW's "Do the Right Thing" March. Also pictured are our friends from Kansas and Illinois (many of whom we first met at the No Coast Encuentro in Denver last fall) who did the 64-hour-round-trip drive with us.

In the background are the props from the popular treatro which was the powerful culmination of an incredible weekend of action which included plantones throughout the cities of St. Petersburg and Tampa and three different marches which ended with what one Denver protester is quoted as calling "the biggest picket line I've ever seen in my life!"


Marching as partners with workers from Immokalee in this inspiring movement, we were confirmed in the fact, as the CIW's Lucas Benitez said, "it's not a question of whether we will win, but when . . ."

You can see all the amazing reports from the entire "Do the Right Thing" Tour, including photos, video and press, by going to this site: "Do the Right Thing" Tour

Back here in Denver, everyone should mark their calendars for the 10th Annual César Chávez Day March:

Satuardy, March 26
Mass at 8:45am at St. Anthony of Padua, 3401 W. Ohio Ave.
March at 10:00am
Celebration and Food at 11:00am at Denver Indian Center, 4407 Morrison Rd.


Also Denver's Labor Council For Latin American Advancement will be hosting their annual César Chávez Dinner-Dance on Saturday, March 26, 6:00pm at the VFW Hall, 4747 W. Colfax. There will be food, live music, dancing and more. Contact bmckenna@denver.co.lclaa.org for details.

Denver Fair Food will no doubt be honoring the late labor leader who fought so hard for the rights of farmworkers. But we'll also be honoring the ongoing struggle for farmworker jutice by participating in the Spring Blitz for Farmworker Justice which includes an action on César Chávez' birthday - March 31.

Contact DenverFairFood@gmail.com if you would like to invite us to speak with your class, congregation, union, community group or school about the ongoing struggle for farmworker rights and how they can get involved!

Finally, folks who follow this blog may also be interested in the upcoming Conference on Religion, Human Trafficking and Modern-Day Slavery sponsored by the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology.

SPRING BLITZ For FARMWORKER JUSTICE!

"Justice too long delayed is justice denied." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

3 weeks of protest against Quiznos and for farmworkers' human rights!

Friday, March 18, 12:00noon
Quiznos at 216 16th St. (one block W. of Broadway)[map]
Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! Dress like a tomato!

Sunday, March 27, 12:00noon
Quiznos at 1275 Grant St. (13th & Grant)[map]
Picket at 1st ever Quiznos

Thursday, March 31, 12:00noon
Quiznos Headquarters, 1001 17th St. (17th & Curtis)[map]
Cesar Chavez Day Protest and Rally! honor the continuing struggle for farmworker justice!

A new era of human rights, fair wages and dignity - for which farmworkers have been fighting for so long - is taking hold in Florida's tomato fields. Yet, despite Quiznos' promises to the contrary, the Denver-based fast food chain still refuses to adopt the principles which would allow these changes to spread and thrive. The workers who pick tomatoes which end up on Quiznos' subs can no longer tolerate the delay of justice. And neither can we!

Join us, in solidarity with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, to push for an end to the farmworker exploitation which has subsidized Quiznos' profits for too long.

contact DenverFairFood@gmail.com for more info.

BACKGROUND:
Florida's farmworkers have long faced brutal conditions. They earn sub-poverty wages, have no right to form unions or to over-time pay, lack traditional employment benefits such as health, sick leave or pensions, and have not received a significant raise in nearly 30 years. At the current rate of .50 cents per 32lb bucket, a Florida tomato picker must harvest over TWO TONS just to earn the equivalent of minimum wage for a typical 10 hour. In the most extreme situations workers are held in modern-day slavery and forced to work against their will.

However, there is a new hope on the horizon, thanks to the hard-fought campaigns of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a community-base organization of Haitian, Latino and Mayan farmworkers in Florida. Today, nine leading food corporations (including Subway, McDonald's and Burger King) and over 90% of the Florida tomato industry have joined to support the CIW's Fair Food principles, including a penny-per-pound piece rate wage increase, a strict code of conduct, a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process.

However, Quiznos - which continues to profit from the exploitation of farmworkers - has yet to do its part. While there have been discussions with the CIW, those talks continue to drag on because Quiznos won't agree to the same Fair Food principles that the entire Florida tomato industry has already adopted. Visit ciw-online.org or DenverFairFood.blogspot.com for more info.
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Empuje de Primera por la Justicia de los Trabajadores Agricolas!
Manifestaciones contra Quiznos y por los derechos humanos de campesinos

Domingo, 27 de Marzo, 12:00 pm
Quiznos en el 1275 Grant St.
(en la esquina de las calles 13 y Grant)

Jueves, 31 de Marzo, 12:00 pm
La Oficina Central de Quiznos, 1001 17th St.
(en la esquina de las calles 17 y Curtis)
Protesta del Dia de Cesar Chavez. Apoya la lucha de los trabajadores agricolas!

Una nueva época de derechos humanos, sueldos justos, y dignidad, esta tomando la industria de jitomates en el estado de Florida por nuevos y mejores cambios. Pero Quiznos, una empresa que consede aqui en Denver, sigue rechazando los principos que dejarian que estos cambios se realizen para todos. Los trabajadores que cosechan los jitomates que usa Quiznos ya no pueden esperar la justicia, y nosotros tampoco!

ORIGEN:
Los trabajadores que cosechan jitomates en Florida han enfrentado condiciones brutales por mucho tiempo: ganan sueldos bajo la línea de pobreza, no tienen el derecho de formar sindicatos o a obtener pago por horas extras trabajadas. También se les prohíbe ciertos beneficios de trabajo fundamentales como seguro de salud, días de ausencia por enfermedad o pensiones, y no han recibido un aumento de sueldo significante en casi 30 anos. Hoy en día a los trabajadores se les paga .50 centavos por cubeta de 32 libras, esto quiere decir que un trabajador necesita cosechar más de DOS TONELADAS Y MEDIAS de jitomates solo para así ganar un sueldo mínimo equivalente a un día de trabajo de 10 horas. En los casos más extremos son detenidos dentro de una esclavitud moderna y forzados a trabajar en contra de su voluntad.

En estos días hay una nueva esperanza, gracias a los grandes esfuerzos y campañas de La Coalición de Trabajadores de Immokalee (CIW) - una organización principalmente de trabajadores latinos, haitianos y mayas. Hoy en día 9 de las corporaciones mayores de comida rápida (incluyendo a Subway, McDonald’s y Burger King) y más que 90 % de la industria de jitomates de la Florida han decidido apoyar los principios de la comida justa. Estos incluyen pagar un centavo más por cada libra de jitomates que es cosechado, un estricto código de conducta, un sistema de resolución de quejas, un programa de salud y seguridad, y un proceso de educación de trabajador a trabajador.

Sin embargo Quiznos - quien continua beneficiándose de la explotación de los trabajadores que cosechan jitomates — todavía necesita hacer su parte. Mientras las discusiones con el CIW y Quiznos si han sucedido, no hay avance porque Quiznos no se decide a apoyar los principios que la industria de jitomates en Florida ya ha adaptado. Visita el ciw-online.org DenverFairFood.blogspot.com para más información.

"Quiz-No!": Quiznos protests spring up around the country!

Protests against Quiznos are springing up around the country! In addition to the many actions that have been happening in Denver and the recent one in Texas' Rio Grande Valley, there have been protests in San Francisco, in the West, and New York to the East.

Pictured here in the Bay Area Fair Food crew crashing an open house at which Quiznos was trying to recruit new franchisees. Instead of just getting a slick sales pinch, potential Quiznos store owners were awakened to the reality of exploitation occurring in the fields from which Quiznos sources tomatoes and Quiznos' refusal to adopt the CIW's Fair Food principles which are establishing an era of justice in those fields.

Go to the Coalition of Immokalee Workers website for a quick photoreport of all the actions (including our most recent in Denver!):
"Quiz-NO!" Photo Report

And prepare yourself for the SPRING BLITZ For FARMWORKER JUSTICE coming up in March right here in Denver!

Special Report from the Rio Grande Valley (and exclusive Quiznos Coupon offer!)

Last Sunday, our compañer@s in Texas' Rio Grande Valley had a powerful protest outside a Quiznos franchise in their neck of the woods. We're so inspired by their example that we're turning over this post to their beautiful words and actions. As outrage at Quiznos spreads across the country, we hope that those in Quiznos Corporate Headquarters in downtown Denver pay attention.

After you check out their fun photo report, be sure to take advantage of the exclusive Quiznos Coupon offered below. Redeem it today!

Texas - Sunday afternoon was no ordinary day. The Quiznos Picket in the Rio Grande Valley had the passing cars honking, our creative juices flowing, and Quiznos Franchise owners at attention. The Valley wind yesterday added to the excitement, as if chanting along with us, Hey, hey, ho, ho, Quiz Knows Better and has got to go! Nature is on our side!

A group of worker’s rights supporters started the afternoon by laying down the 411 for Quizno’s employees…

of our enthusiastic intention of raising consumer awareness of Quiznos participation in farmworker exploitation!

Thirty minutes into our mission, Quiznos franchise owners approached our public piece of turf to huff and puff about our presence hurting their business, since we were, as he put it, “portraying Quiznos as being unfair.” This is true. We’ve been waiting on Quiznos for a good minute now to come to the table with the CIW and agree to the same Fair Food Code of Conduct that the entire Florida tomato industry has already adopted! - a code which improves pay, establishes enforceable standards for worker rights and solidifies farmworkers' voice in the decisions which impact their lives. We made it pretty clear that our time waiting won’t be spent with our arms crossed.

He wasn’t too pleased. So we handed him a coupon, which makes everyone happy, and encouraged him to redeem today!

“Hey, Mister! Have you redeemed your Quiznos coupon, yet? When Quiznos decides to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes, we include a cooperative complaint resolution system, a participatory health and safety program, and a worker-to-worker education process! REDEEM TODAY! We’ll also leave you and your business alone!”


Standing strong with campesinos desde el Valle! Our coupons have yet to expire so be sure to print and redeem yours today!!

"Quit breaking our hearts, Quiznos!" Photo report and Spring Blitz announcement

Last Saturday we held a sweet little Valentine-themed protest in Denver's Capital Hill outside the first-ever Quiznos restaurant. Our hearts have been breaking because Quiznos can't commit to showing farmworkers the respect they deserve.

Quiznos is still holding out against agreeing to the same Fair Food Code of Conduct that the entire Florida tomato industry has already adopted - a code which improves pays, establishes enforceable standards for worker rights and solidifies farmworkers' voice in the decisions which impact their lives. But we're not going to accept Quiznos' feet-dragging any longer. The question to Quiznos is simply: will the fast-casual sub chain help usher in the new era of dignity for farmworkers or will it continue to maintain a status quo of poverty and sweatshops in the tomato fields of Florida?

We made clear which side we're on; we're on the side of farmworkers - some of the nation's poorest and most exploited workers. Pictured here is a Denver Fair Food member being interviews by a reporter from KGNU.

And as the spokesperson from our delegation made clear while delivering dozens of valentines to the lone Quiznos employee on duty that day, if Quiznos does not join the side of justice for farmworkers, we will be intensifying the protests. In fact . . .

We already made plans . . .

Save the dates

Spring Blitz for Farmworker Justice

Friday, March 18th, 12:00noon

Saturday, March 26th, 12:00noon

Thursday, March 31st (Cesar Chavez Day!), 12:00noon

Locations to be announced.

Join us for a month of actions against Quiznos and for farmworkers' human rights!