150 SW 13th Avenue, Miami, FL  33135
Phone  (786) 264-1708; Fax  (786) 264-1859
interfaith@sfiwj.org; www.sfiwj.org
Farmworkers
Hitchcock-Seck at the Publix Protest in
Miami on November 8th, 2009
Photo Report of the December 6th Walk for
Farmworker Justice in Lakeland, FL

December 8, 2009- Fort Myers News-Press
"Coalition of Immokalee Workers pay Publix a Visit"
"The peaceful demonstration drew workers and
supporters from around the state as well as clergy of
many faiths. One of those was retired United Church of
Christ minister Jim Boler of Fort Myers. 'I was especially
moved by what the high school students from Immokalee
had to say," Boler said. "One girl talked about what it's
like to live in a farmworker family, seeing Publix ads
celebrating Thanksgiving but knowing that for her family,
if there's not work that week, they can't afford food.'"

December 7, 2009 - Palm Beach Post
Opinion "Publix in the wrong aisle"
"When you think of Publix, you think of Florida's grocery
store. There are more than 700 of them around the state.
The company has a glowing reputation within the
industry...

"All this makes it hard to understand why the company is
opposing an effort to treat Florida farmworkers fairly.
Publix has taken a hard line against the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers, a farmworker group that wants to
improve conditions in the fields and increase tomato
pickers' pay with a penny-a-pound pass-through plan. The
idea is for the state's largest tomato buyers to pay an
extra penny per pound, with the extra money going to
raise pickers' wages above the poverty level." Read the full
article.
Photo used with permission of CIW
Prayer for Fair Food

Dear God, we give thanks for the
companies that made agreements
with the farmworkers to improve
wages and conditions in the fields.
We also pray for other companies,
that they may see the importance of
working farmworkers to establish
practices that ensure dignity for those
who harvest our crops. We ask you
to bless those who toil in the fields
and all those who work to put food
on our tables. Guide us in partnering
with farmworkers to bring about a
food system that respects the dignity
of all your children. Amen.

From the bulletin insert PC(USA) on the
Farmworker Freedom March