Does a delicious Wendy's chicken sandwich sound like a good choice right about now? If succulent chicken, juicy tomatoes and fresh lettuce with a side of sexual violence sounds appetizing to you, I suggest taking a second look at your local Wendy's.
What's Going On
For the past 10 years, the Coalition of Immokalee Worker's (CIW) has been fighting to have Wendy's sign onto the Fair Food Program. This program goes a long way to ensure the rights of farm workers who play a pretty big part in putting together the Wendy's food you know and love, namely, the tomatoes.
Before they go onto a sandwich, tomatoes have to be farmed and then picked. The picked tomatoes are then sold to corporations who slice em' up and slap em' onto a wrap and sell them to you for next to nothing. Farm workers like the ones who are a part of the CIW, have long been neglected in the way of workers rights and in an effort to protect these rights, they created the Fair Food Program.
Once a company becomes part of the Fair Food Program, they become Participating Buyers. As such they are required to stop purchasing produce from growers who don't comply with the Code of Conduct.
Among other concerns, the Code of Conduct includes guidelines as to how much money goes directly to workers, treatment of sexual misconduct and child labor and allows workers to participate in the process to which they are so integral.
Who's On Board
Lots of big name companies have long since signed onto the Fair Food Program and the binding agreements that go along with it. Major Corporations like Burger King, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Chipotle and Subway have given their adamant support for workers rights and I encourage you to fuel your fast food needs through them.
Of course, these companies weren't always so understanding. When money is a part of the package and they stand to lose a little of it, corporations tend to put up a bit of a fight.
Previous boycotts included "Boot the Bell" which involved consumers avoiding Taco Bell when they wouldn't sign onto the Fair Food Program a little over 5 years ago. The hope is that Wendy's will soon follow suit.
What It Means
Few people can probably say that they don't stand for workers rights. In a way, though, that's exactly the kind of message Wendy's has been displaying. By not signing onto the Fair Food Program, the company makes no promises to buy from farms that support the rights of the people working on them. By not supporting these rights, Wendy's is basically saying they don't care.
Moreover, they're saying they care more about turning a dollar than they do about very real human lives, which is fine, I guess, in a sick way. They're a business and one of their chief goals is to make the most amount of money they can. Thankfully, they can't do that without supportive consumers.
I've got a long history with Wendy's and I look back on a happy childhood spent sipping frosty vanilla shakes on the way home from school. I like Wendy's, but I like human rights more.
What You Can Do
Hold Wendy's responsible; it's just about the only way something will get done. If the company doesn't think its customers care, they won't do anything to change. Sign this petition, contact the company, tweet about it, share this article, write an article, share your thoughts and above all, don't let this go. A Baconator can wait, but right now it's time to get mad, make some change, and stop eating at Wendy's.
