Urge Fair Pay for Tomato Pickers

Tomato pickers suffer brutal exploitation. In fields of stifling heat and pesticides, these workers have to harvest more than 2.5 tons of tomatoes to earn minimum wage for a 10-hour workday, and have not seen a significant raise in 30 years. Such dismal pay means an annual salary of only $10,000, which is below the poverty line in southern Florida, where many tomato farms are located. Some pickers have even been held in modern-day slavery rings.

Since 1993, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has organized low-wage agricultural workers in order to advocate for better pay and improved working conditions. The faith community has been instrumental in partnering with the CIW both in raising awareness of human rights abuses, and in persuading multiple corporations to comply with fair labor practices and pay.

While many fast food chains have committed to improving wages and working conditions for tomato pickers, The Kroger Company - the nation’s second-largest supermarket company - has yet to work with the CIW to guarantee farm workers’ rights.

Urge The Kroger Company's Director of Corporate Communications Meghan Glynn to partner with the CIW in improving wages and enforcing a code of conduct for decent working conditions.

Subject:

Dear Ms. Glynn,

(Edit Letter Below)

As a Christian and a conscientious consumer, I want to be reassured that the workers who pick the tomatoes sold in your stores are paid fair wages and have decent working conditions. I therefore ask The Kroger Company to partner with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) to guarantee that tomato growers are compensated and treated fairly.

I believe everyone is created in the image of God and deserves to be treated with dignity. Yet Florida's tomato pickers currently have to harvest more than 2.5 tons of tomatoes to earn minimum wage for a 10-hour workday. Some pickers have even been held in modern-day slavery rings. I encourage The Kroger Company to work with CIW in confronting and overcoming such horrible exploitation.

Yum Brands, McDonald's, Burger King, Whole Foods, Subway, and Bon Appetit are already partnering with the CIW to improve wages and to uphold a code of conduct for fair working conditions, including zero tolerance for any form of modern slavery. I urge The Kroger Company to do the same.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
[Your address]

Take Action on this Issue

Send this message to:

Director of Corporate Communications Meghan Glynn

Complete the following to send this message and sign-up to receive periodic updates. If you have participated before, just type in your email address then submit the form.

First Name:*

Last Name:*

Email:*

Address Line 1:*

Address Line 2:

City:*

State/ Province:

ZIP/Postal Code:*

Country:*

Yes, I would like to receive a copy of this letter

* Required Field

Thank you for joining this campaign. Sojourners will send you updates by e-mail, though you may remove yourself from our list at any time. Read our privacy statement.