No more slavery, pay living wage!

Supporters of Immokalee farmworkers picket Trader Joe’s.

New York — Lower Manhattan came alive Feb. 6 with 150 protesters at two Trader Joe’s stores. “Trader Joe’s, shame on you, farmworkers deserve rights too!’ was chanted as bilingual fliers explained the farmworkers’ demands.

This chain has fields of farmworkers working from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. at least six days a week. These sweatshop conditions leave workers making 40 cents to 50 cents for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes picked. Wages haven’t risen since 1978. A fair price for tomatoes is being demanded by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. CIW launched its Campaign for Fair Food in 2001 with demands that tomato pickers be paid a penny more a pound and work in safe, humane conditions.

At CIW’s initiative and with support from the Community Farmworker Alliance, Trader Joe’s was pressured by many students and union activists, Latino/a and white, demanding an end to virtual slavery in the tomato fields. Farmworkers insisted, “This is the beginning — we want more money per pound! We workers won’t rest until we work in better conditions!” The national food chain was also targeted for not having an agreement with its workers for an increase in wages and for not giving workers a voice on the job.

Indigenous cultural performances supported these demands, and a vivacious march with music moved from the Trader Joe’s store at 14th and Third Avenue to the one on Sixth Avenue between 21st and 22nd Streets. Some protesters were dressed as huge tomatoes. CIW plans further actions in the near future.

Tell Trader Joe’s to meet with CIW now and stop profiting from the exploitation of farmworkers! (www.ciw-online.org, www.cfa-nyc.org)

— Report and photo by Anne Pruden