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Activists rally at Burger King locations

Coalitions unite behind farm workers for better wages

By Sasha Roe

Friday, August 24, 2007

Lawrence activists will “have it their way” when they march to the three local Burger King restaurants on Saturday. Marchers will protest for improved wages and conditions for farm workers. Lawrence organizations will support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers with the “March for Fair Food” beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Burger King at 1100 N. Third St. The three organizations that will sponsor the march are Lawrence Fair Food, Kansas Mutual Aid and the Lawrence Coalition for Peace and Justice.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers is a community-based farm worker organization in Florida. A press release from the CIW said the majority of the Immokalee community is Latino, Haitian and Mayan immigrants who harvest produce for large corporations. According to the CIW, Immokalee farm workers are the country’s most exploited. They earn sub-poverty wages and are unable to form unions, CIW said.

Katy Andrus, Lenexa senior, was a founding member of Lawrence Fair Food last year.

She said the farm workers were viewed only as tractors that harvested the produce used by large fast food corporations. Andrus said students were the mouths that consumed this food.

“It’s imperative that those two groups come together,” Andrus said.

Protestors will continue from the Third Street location to the Burger King at 1107 W. Sixth St. They will stop for a mini rally then end with a large rally at the Burger King at 1301 W. 23rd St.

Kim Coughlin, Lawrence Fair Food director, said past CIW boycotts and protests across the nation had been successful. In 2005, Taco Bell agreed to improve the conditions and wages of the CIW farm workers that provided produce for their restaurants. Burger King has become the next target for the organization.

“Burger King hasn’t been willing to work with the CIW,” Coughlin said. “They use so many tomatoes that they pressure the suppliers to lower the price on tomatoes. In turn, the suppliers have no choice but to take more money from the workers.” At each stop, the managers of Burger King will be given a letter requesting improved wages and conditions for the laborers in Florida.

“I hope they will react positively,” Coughlin said. “Because we are only demanding what is right.”

Keva Silversmith, Burger King’s vice president of corporation communication, said the restaurants have negotiated with CIW for the past couple of years. He said Burger King wanted the best conditions for farm workers, but the restaurants had no direct impact on the situation. The CIW requested Burger King write a check to the organization, but Silversmith said the company wasn’t open to that option right now.

“We have no evidence it will improve the lives of the farm workers,” Silversmith said. “For an increase in wages, it will have to be the farm employers who directly influence the farm workers.”

Silversmith said past CIW demonstrations and past protests had been peaceful. He said local Burger King restaurants were given general protest procedures.

“It is our goal to keep the protestors and customers in a safe, nonconfrontational environment,” Silversmith said.

Participants are encouraged to wear blue, the official CIW color, and bring noisemakers and instruments. Coughlin said local musicians will perform and area farmers will provide free, healthy food at the 23rd Street location.

Andrus said she was looking forward to getting coverage for the cause.

“It’s going to be a group of really excited people,” Andrus said. “We’re just trying to get the word out.”

Anyone who would like to participate in the march should meet at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Burger King, 1100 N .Third St., or e-mail Kim Coughlin at kscoughlin@riseup.net for more information.

— Edited by Rachael Gray

Comments

Activists rally at Burger King locations

sounds reasonable; hope the money gets to the immigrants working in low-wage jobs in Florida and not just the employers or a coalition of advocacy groups

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