Leading up to International Human Rights Day on December 9th, dozens of Wawa consumers from the Youth and Young Adult Network of the National Farm Worker Ministry are set to have an action outside of Wawa store located at 7030 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando. Student and community allies hope to raise awareness about human rights abuses in North Carolina tobacco fields and the positive role Wawa can play in bringing consumer concerns to tobacco industry leaders. Tobacco products mean big revenue for Wawa, and consumers believe this makes Wawa an integral part of the tobacco supply chain and an important voice in addressing its problems. Over the past few months, YAYA members have been attempting to get a meeting with Regional Manager Charlene Marko-Heim, but their various communications, calls, and store visits have been ignored
YAYA is a national network of young people actively working to change the oppressive social, political and economic conditions of farmworkers. Inspired by the principles of nonviolence of the farm worker movement, YAYAs support a variety of national and local campaigns led by farm workers, which aim to end the abusive conditions faced by those who harvest our food. YAYA, and the consumers they represent, is calling on Wawa to bring their concerns about the conditions of NC tobacco farmworkers to the attention of tobacco giant Reynolds American
While there are multiple companies that buy tobacco in NC, such as Phillip Morris USA and Phillip Morris International, Reynolds American is the largest tobacco company in the state and a leader in the tobacco industry. For over five years, The Farm Labor Organizing Committee, a farmworker union representing tobacco farmworkers, has sought after Reynolds to sign a written agreement guaranteeing labor rights for tobacco farmworkers in its supply chain. To date, the company has not done so
A recent report by Oxfam America and FLOC shows that human rights violations, including dilapidated housing, sub-minimum wages, work-related illness, and fear of retaliation for speaking out, are widespread in the fields of NC.Reynolds American claims that the company has taken steps to ensure these exploitative conditions do not exist on their contract farms, but there are important steps that still need to be taken to guarantee that tobacco farm workers have a safe and healthy work place and receive fair compensation. Specifically, Reynolds should work with FLOC to develop a written agreement that guarantees freedom of association and collective bargaining to tobacco farm workers
Human Rights Day is an opportunity for Wawa consumers to request Wawa to deliver a message to Reynolds American that its customers want Reynolds to work with the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, to develop a written agreement that guarantees freedom of association and self-determination for farm workers
Wawa consumer Emily Helm stated, “I urge Wawa to do the right thing in supporting the Farm Labor Organizing Committee’s campaign by using their considerable power by calling on Reynolds American to guarantee the collective bargaining and freedom of association rights for tobacco farm workers.”
Who: Students and farmworker advocates
When: December 9th, 2012 at 1-2PM
Where: 7030 South Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32809
What: Displaying of Banner, leafleting, and delivery of letter calling on Wawa to bring consumer concerns for the just treatment of tobacco farm workers in the fields of North Carolina to Reynolds American.
