The “essential-yet-disposable” paradox exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic has made the Fair Food movement’s call for enforceable safety and human rights protections for farmworkers more urgent than ever before. Essential workers harvesting the food we eat need more than performative appreciation for their labor — they need access to PPE, sick leave and a complaint mechanism for reporting concerns related to their health and safety on the job that triggers a thorough investigation and swift resolution.
That’s why, when companies like Wendy’s repeatedly go out of their way to reject commitment to the only human rights program known to protect farmworkers from dangerous and abusive conditions, we need to fight back. Wendy’s must stop ignoring the health and dignity of essential workers in the fields and join the Fair Food Program!
Can’t plan an action in person?
There’s three ways to plug-in virtually:
Call Wendy's headquarters: Give Wendy's CEO Todd Penegor a ring to demand the fast-food company joins the Fair Food Program to create a tangible and meaningful difference in the lives of the essential workers harvesting Wendy's produce.
Call-in number: Dial 614-764-3100, press 3 and ask to leave a message for Todd Penegor
Here is a sample script:“Hi, my name is _______ and I’m calling to leave a message for Mr. Todd Penegor in support of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. For over eight years, consumers have been asking Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program, the only human rights program proven to protect farmworkers from dangerous and abusive conditions in corporate supply chains. Wendy’s refusal to join the Fair Food Program is especially deplorable in light of the coronavirus pandemic, which has devastated farmworker communities at an alarming rate. It’s time for Wendy’s to stop ignoring the health and dignity of essential workers in its supply chain and join the Fair Food Program once and for all.
Thank you for relaying this message.”
Sign the Deliver With Dignity petition: Help us amplify the growing petition calling on Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Postmates to join the Wendy’s Boycott and take real leadership on the issue of human rights in our country’s food system by dropping Wendy's from their delivery options!
Send an email to Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Postmates CEOs:After you sign the petition, take a moment to send an email to the top executives of the nation's principal delivery service companies demanding they stop doing business with Wendy’s until the hamburger giant joins the Fair Food Program.
The viability of Wendy’s business during times of calm, and especially during times of crisis, cannot be separated from the health and well-being of the workers at the base of its supply chain. Join us for the “Demanding Dignity for Farmworkers” Week of Action from April 5-11 to make our message clear to Wendy’s: Stop ignoring the health and dignity of essential workers in the fields and join the Fair Food Program!
You can sign up here to take action in solidarity with farmworkers during the Week of Action to demonstrate your support for the Wendy’s Boycott by holding signs outside your local Wendy’s and delivering a letter to the manager. Check out this handy Week of Action toolkit to help you prepare!
If you’re in NYC, you can join New York Fair Food in protesting outside of the offices of Trian Partners, which is not only Wendy’s largest institutional investor but also has its founding partners Nelson Peltz and Peter May sitting at the top of Wendy’s Board of Directors. And if you’re in San Francisco, you can join allies in demanding the country’s top delivery service companies like Uber Eats and DoorDash to end business ties with Wendy’s and reject farmworker exploitation.