Several human rights advocates, who say Wendy’s is exploiting U.S farmworkers, gathered Saturday near Newark to urge the fast-food chain to join the Fair Food Program.
The issue is related to Wendy’s refusal to buy tomatoes under the program, which protesters say would pay an additional penny per pound of tomatoes picked to boost workers’ wages. The protesters were also there to support countless farmworkers who spend hours picking tomatoes in Mexico, where they face racial discrimination, abuse and sexual harassment.
“McDonald’s, Burger King and Subway are paying that extra penny a pound – which protects farmworkers from exploitation,” said the Rev. Dr. Lyle Dykstra, a protester from the Delaware Poor People’s Campaign Coordinating Committee. “Wendy’s has been behaving like this for the past 10 years.”
About 20 protesters held signs near the Wendy’s at 30 Chestnut Hill Plaza near Newark and shared similar sentiments. The group included members from the Immigration Justice Committee of the New Castle Presbytery, the Delaware Poor People’s Campaign, the Votamos We Vote Coalition, the Working Family Party and other civil rights organizations.
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“Wendy’s can’t hide for long – when we unite, our voice is strong,” is what Lupe Gonzelo said during the rally. She is a member of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and has worked 12 years in the fields, mainly harvesting tomatoes.
The crowd arrived shortly after 10:30 a.m. Saturday waving signs in support of the Fair Food Program with slogans such as, “Shame on Wendy’s,” “Provide Better Housing,” and “No Child Labor.”
In addition to demonstrating, protesters also dropped off a letter to demand that Wendy’s chairman end “modern slavery” and respect the dignity of the farmworkers. As many as eight out of 10 female farmworkers reported sexual harassment in rural America, according to a 2018 study conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union.
“From their resilience, they have declared what they specifically, clearly and cleverly demand for their situation to be more dignified and humane and we are here to tell them: We are on their side and because of their inspiration, we are here to speak truth to power,” said Charito Calvachi-Mateyko, one of the organizers of the protest.
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What is the background behind this protest?
The Fair Food Program, a nationwide boycott launched in 2016 by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, was founded on the mission of ending decades of farmworker poverty and abuse. In recent years, the initiative has gained significant support, from farmers, retail companies and political organizations.
As of Saturday, a petition in support of Wendy’s nationwide boycott reached more than 120,000 signatures, according to Change.org. To learn more about this program, visit fairfoodprogram.org.
Contact reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight and support the Facebook group Delaware Voices Uplifted.
