Tag Archives: Slavery

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Modern Slavery … a repost


 

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Florida’s tomato farms supply 50% of all U.S. fresh tomatoes1 but have also been called America’s ‘ground zero for slavery.’ Countless workers have been found held against their will, threatened with violence and forced to haul hundreds of heavy tomato buckets a day for little to no pay.

And right now is the worst part of Florida’s tomato picking season – the days are hot and the vines have nearly been picked clean making it hard to fill quotas. In these final days, there is also tremendous pressure for tomato farms to turn a profit making conditions ripe for worker exploitation.

It’s important that we act now.

A new solution called the Fair Food Program has been proven successful in the fight against modern slavery in Florida’s tomato fields. But a major U.S. supermarket chain, Publix Super Markets, is refusing to support the Fair Food Program. Publix continues to buy tomatoes from growers that are not partners of the Fair Food Program and where workers still toil beyond the reach of its proven protection from modern slavery.

Tell Publix Super Markets’ CEO William Crenshaw to join the fight against slavery in the U.S. tomato industry.

After decades of abuse, Florida’s farmworkers finally have a chance in the fight against exploitation with the Fair Food Program, demanding a policy of zero tolerance for human rights abuses, including slavery, on tomato farms.

The White House recently called the exciting new program “one of the most successful and innovative programs” in the world today in the fight to uncover – and prevent — modern-day slavery, and just last week United Nations investigators called it “impressive” and praised its “independent and robust enforcement mechanism.”

Leading brands including Subway, Whole Foods Market, McDonald’s and Trader Joe’s have already joined the fight against forced labour and now only buy tomatoes from growers who comply with the following Fair Food Principles:

  • A code of conduct for tomato growers;
  • Complaint mechanisms for farmworkers;
  • Education sessions to help workers understand their rights; and
  • Regular auditing of farm operations.

It’s been four long years of public pressure but Publix, one of the largest purchasers of local tomatoes, still refuses to take responsibility for their supply chain. 

Tell Publix to make the right decision to join the Fair Food Program and ensure our tomatoes meet the highest human rights standards in the food industry today.

Will Publix Super Markets, which prides itself on making Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For” list, continue to turn a blind eye and give excuses, or will it leverage its vast market influence and lead the way in cleaning up slavery in the tomato supply chain once and for all?

We think Publix will make the right choice, but it won’t happen without broad public support. Once you’ve sent your message to Publix, please forward this email on to your friends and family, urging them to join the fight that is ending slavery in the U.S. tomato industry.

Thank you for your support,

Debra, Kate, Ryan, Mich, Hayley, Nick, Jess, Amy and the Walk Free team.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

SHOCK: Secret ingredient in chocolate


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The only guilt from eating chocolate should be the calories, right?
Unfortunately, with each tasty bite, you could unknowingly be supporting slave labour in the Ivory Coast, where children as young as 7 are forced to work long hours in cocoa fields and beaten if they work too slow. Some are sold for as little as a couple of dollars, deceived by promises of decent work and trapped in a life of slavery.
Many chocolate brands have made public commitments to find the best solution. But we’ve learned that Warner Bros. is refusing to tell consumers where the cocoa for their Harry Potter chocolates comes from.
Warner Bros. is heading into one of the busiest times of the year for their theme parks. Children excited to experience the world of Harry Potter will be asking their parents to buy these chocolates. Taking a stand right now will make a big impact – will you help?
Ask Warner Bros. what steps they’re taking to ensure Harry Potter chocolates are free of slavery.

Warner Bros. is ‘satisfied’ they’re using fair labour in Harry Potter chocolates.
But are you?

wf-hp-email-hero.png Ask Warner Bros. where the cocoa for their Harry Potter chocolates comes from.

While many chocolate brands have made public commitments to find the best solution, we’re singling out Warner Bros. because:

  • An independent investigation into their supplier Behr’s Chocolates led to a failing score of 1 out of 48 possible measures to ensure their operations are slavery-free;
  • Warner Bros. dismissed the findings of the investigation, simply stating that they were ‘satisfied’ that fair labour practices were being used in the production of their chocolates;
  • Given the conflicting information, outraged consumers asked Warner Bros. what steps were taken to ensure there was no slavery in Harry Potter Chocolates. Warner Bros. refused to respond. 

We’re concerned that Harry Potter chocolates may contain cocoa harvested in conditions of modern slavery. Ask Warner Bros. where the cocoa for their Harry Potter chocolates comes from.
As consumers, we deserve to know that the products we buy are free from the taint of modern slavery. 
Thank you in advance for taking action. Please share this with your friends to bring us one step closer to ending modern slavery in the cocoa industry.
Kate, Amy, Debra, Mich, Jess, Nick and all the Walk Free Muggles

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

the Indian Parliament chose to delay the ban on child labour.


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Your support was instrumental in building pressure for the Indian government to pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill in August. But despite 1,010,918 signatures (including yours), the Indian Parliament chose to delay the ban on child labour.

The Parliament resumes on 5 December, and we need greater public support this time to ensure that our voice is not ignored. Can you help by forwarding the message below to your friends and family asking them to call on the Indian government and ensure that it passes the bill immediately?

Thank you in advance for your help.

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“On the day that Durga Mala was rescued, she lay crying on the stone floor, where she was attempting to cool her back. She was 11 years old and her skin was covered with blisters, from her shoulder blades to her buttocks. A few days earlier, her owners had poured hot oil over her because they thought she was working too slowly.”1

The Indian Parliament must believe we’re not concerned about Durga or millions of children like her in India. Why? Because time and again, the Parliament has delayed a vote on the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill, which would ban employment of children up to 14 years of age. But we are watching.

The Indian Parliament resumes on 5 December. Every day the bill is delayed, several children remain at risk of being bought and sold to work in unimaginable conditions of sex slavery, bonded labour and domestic servitude. Unless we speak up.

We need to build massive public pressure for the Indian government to pass this historic legislation that will help end child slavery in India.

Call on the Indian Parliament to immediately pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill and help end child slavery in India.

In just days, the Indian Parliament will resume. This is our last chance to put the bill to vote before general elections next year.

The Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill will:
1. Prohibit employment of children up to 14 years of age; 2. Outline harsher sentences for violators of child labour laws; and  3. Provide for monitoring of suspected instances of child slavery.

While stories like Durga’s are making headlines, there are many more that remain hidden, trapped in the nightmare of modern slavery — with no choice, no pay and with no realistic chance of escaping. At an age when children should be in school, they are being subjected to situations that make them vulnerable to serious physical and psychological harm.

But all this could end. The ban on child labour will help end enslavement of children in India. But the delay to vote on this bill is delaying freedom for children from modern slavery. Even scarring them for life.

Tell the Indian government to help end child slavery and pass the Child and Adolescent Labour Abolition Bill now.

Thank you in advance for your support. Once you have taken action, please forward this message on to everyone you know and help bring us one step closer to eliminating modern slavery.

In solidarity,

Debra, Mich, Jess, Kamini, Mika, Sarah, Kate, Olly, Joanna, Jayde and the Walk Free Team

P.S. On Twitter? Follow us

1 http://abcnews.go.com/International/daughters-sale-indias-child-slavery-scourge/story?id=20540368&singlePage=true

Walk Free is a movement of people everywhere, fighting to end one of the world’s greatest evils: Modern slavery.

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~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Debra Rosen, Walk Free & Florida tomatoes


Publix Super Markets just released their latest financial results – US$7 BILLION in sales for the second quarter of this year1. Good for them, right?

We guess so, except we can’t help wondering: while improving sales and promoting their range of Florida tomatoes why is Publix STILL REFUSING to join the fight against slavery in the U.S. tomato industry?

Florida’s tomato farms supply 50% of all U.S. fresh tomatoes2 but have also been called America’s ‘ground zero for slavery’. Countless workers are held against their will, threatened with violence and forced to haul hundreds of heavy tomato buckets a day for little to no pay.

Thankfully, a new solution called the Fair Food Program has been proven successful in the fight against worker exploitation. But a major U.S. supermarket chain, Publix Super Markets, is refusing to support the Fair Food Program. Publix continues to buy tomatoes from farms where workers still toil beyond the reach of its proven protection from modern slavery.

Tell Publix Super Markets CEO William Crenshaw to join the fight against slavery in the U.S. tomato industry now.

In the past 15 years, over 1,000 people have been freed from modern slavery in Florida’s tomato fields3. The worst employers have been charged with beating workers who attempt to leave, holding employees in debt, and even chaining victims inside U-Haul style trucks as punishment.

Other leading food companies like Subway, Trader Joe’s and McDonald’s have already joined the Fair Food Program, demanding a policy of zero tolerance for human rights abuses, including slavery, on tomato farms. However, Publix Super Markets has turned a blind eye to the problem and has yet to take action.

Tell Publix to make the right decision to join the Fair Food Program and ensure our tomatoes meet the highest human rights standards in the food industry today.

We think Publix will make the right choice, but it won’t happen without broad public support. Once you’ve sent your message to Publix, please forward this email on to your friends and family, urging them to join the fight against modern slavery.

Thank you for your support,

Debra, Kate, Mich, Nick, Amy, Jess, Ryan, Hayley and the Walk Free Team