Fair Food Austin – Now is the Time!

Now is the Time!Hello All,

We bring you exciting news from the national front veritably transforming our nation’s agricultural industry!

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, on the heels of inking a far-reaching agreement with Walmart, the world’s largest retailer — now the 12th multi-billiondollar food company committed to working together with CIW to implement its groundbreaking Fair Food Program, ensuring higher pay & a multitude of new rights & labor protections for tomato harvesters — is holding a major protest this weekend in Florida!

A caravan of Texas-based CIW supporters — from San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, the Rio Grande Valley & Austin — leaves early Thursday to join Florida farmworkers for a 24-hour vigil and march held in the HQ town of Publix, the largest supermarket chain in the southeast corner of the country.  Our Texas caravan includes members of Workers Defense Project and the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition as well as students and community members.

Upon the caravan’s return, we will be hosting a gathering of people interested in advancing the CIW’s campaign here in Austin!  Join us on Monday, March 24th at 5:30 PM at Monkeywrench Books, located at 110 E. North Loop (basically 53rd St., a few blocks west of Duval).

Already, there is preliminary discussion of organizing a protest at a local Wendy’s (the only major fast food chain to not have yet signed with CIW) in the coming weeks as well as a pro-CIW party around International Workers’ Day, the first weekend in May.  Please join us to collectively consider and develop these and other ideas!

Also, in case you’d like to make a financial gift to assist our Texas caravan as they head to reinforce the ranks of Immokalee farmworker supporters, a donation can be made here — and will be genuinely appreciated!

Looking forward to meeting with many of you Monday after next, the 24th, as we plot farmworker solidarity efforts here in Austin,

Sincerely,

Kandace Vallejo, Jordan Buckley, Heather Vega for Austin Fair Food