Publix's Reponse to Protesters: We're Nice, Not Fair

Last weekend, over 1,500 people converged on Publix supermarket's headquarters in Tampa to demand the company sell slave-free tomatoes. The protesters brought instruments, puppets, and the signatures of 30,000 Change.org members to Publix management. After nearly a decade of Florida farm workers asking Publix for an extra penny per pound of tomatoes, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and their supporters might finally see a victory. But Publix is still being slow to action. Their excuse? We're too nice to be fair.

Organized by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), Saturday's protest brought thousands to the Publix's doors, asking the company to join the Campaign for Fair Food, which would modestly increase farmworker wages and prevent serious labor abuses, like slavery and sexual harassment, in the tomato industry. As part of the wrap-up event, the CIW delivered a Change.org petition signed by 30,000 supporters. They also had a puppet show, which told the story of the brutal conditions that Florida farmworkers have endured for decades, their hope for a better future brought about by the Campaign for Fair Food, their struggle against Publix's attempts to undermine fairness, and the inevitable victory of human rights over injustice. Both workers and supporters are hopeful that after years of efforts, Publix may finally listen.

Publix is claiming, however, that they shouldn't have to pay farmworkers more because ... they're nice. As spokesperson Shannon Patten told Creative Loafing,

"We are consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work. We are unlike any of our competitors with regard to our treatment of employees. This is validated by simply entering any Publix store. So the CIW’s campaign against Publix is one directed at an acknowledged employer of choice and a great place to work ... Publix is more than willing to pay a penny more per pound or whatever the market price for tomatoes will be in order to provide the goods to our customers. However, we will not pay employees of other companies directly for their labor. That is the responsibility of their employer. We suggest that whatever the impact of their negotiations, they put the cost of the tomatoes in the price they charge the industry for the goods."

I'm sorry, but when did "we're nice to our staff" become an excuse to treat the people who produce the products you sell like crap? Fortunately, the CIW has told Publix they can keep being nice to their employees AND also be nice to farmworkers by giving them a fair wage. And they don't have to "pay employees of other companies". The CIW's Sean Sellers explains it,

"Funny thing: that’s exactly how we do the program — repackers charge the extra penny to the retail buyer and those funds are then accounted for and passed on to the growers ... All Publix has to do is say the word, and formally agree to the code of conduct they say they already support, and we can get started working together to make the Florida tomato industry the pride of the U.S. agricultural industry.”

So there you have it, Publix, you have permission to be nice to your staff and be fair to the workers who pick your food. Does this mean you'll finally join the Campaign for Fair Food?

You can support the thousands who have marched on Publix and help the company extend their fair treatment of employees to farmworkers by signing this petition, and sharing it with your friends and family. And check out this awesome video from the protest.

Photo credit: hyku