wfn.org | Mar. 15 Event to Highlight Farmworker Rights, New Oxfam Studies

["Carol Fouke" <cfouke@ncccusa.org>]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	
March 11, 2004

***Media Advisory for March 15, 2004 Press Conference***
Human Rights Leaders Demand Largest Fast Food Company to Respect Worker's
Rights
CME Bishop Thomas J. Hoyt, Jr., National Council of Churches President, Among
Speakers
NCC Among Endorsers of Boycott of Taco Bell

The Honorable Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, will join with leaders of the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers (CIW), the National Council of Churches, the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) and Oxfam America to bring attention to human rights abuses
of farmworkers in America's fields.  The human rights leaders call on Yum
Brands, the largest fast food company in the world and a major buyer of
Florida produce, to guarantee the rights of workers in their supply chain and
to help end the human exploitation occurring in the fields of Florida.

Yum Brands owns Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Long Johns Silver's as
well as Pizza Hut and many other fast food companies.  Yum Brands buys 40
million pounds of tomatoes per year while farmworkers must pick two tons of
produce in order to earn $50 per day.  Over the past twenty-five years the
piece rate for tomatoes has declined by 65%.  

As a large institutional buyer Yum has the power to ensure that workers get
their fair share. Ms. Robinson, CIW, NCC, the PC(USA) and Oxfam are calling
on Yum's CEO David Novak, its boards of directors and major investors in the
company to exercise true corporate leadership by ensuring fairness for the
rights of workers in their supply chains which includes respect for core
labor standards.

Oxfam America will release two groundbreaking studies:	"Trading Away Our
Rights" which shows how the global supply chain is eroding labor rights in 13
countries covering 32 million workers and calls for corporate responsibility;
and "Like Machines in the Fields" which exposes the denial of rights to U.S.
farmworkers through discrimination in law and by a supply chain business
model which generates profits by squeezing workers in the supply chain. 

Background:

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is the Florida-based farmworker
organization spearheading the national Taco Bell Boycott. The boycott seeks
an end to conditions in East Coast tomato fields that run the gamut from
sweatshops to slavery. The boycott has won the support of the National
Council of Churches and several of its member communions, including the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The NCC Executive Board, meeting February
23-24, set up a committee to monitor and report on the progress of boycott
efforts and the response of Taco Bell and its parent company, Yum Brands.
 
DETAILS ON MARCH 15 EVENT:

WHAT:	CIW-Oxfam America Press Conference 

WHO:	The Honorable Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former
U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights
			Ray Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America
			Bishop Thomas J. Hoyt, President of the National
Council of Churches
			The Rev. Noelle Damico, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
			Lucas Benitez, Coalition of Immokalee Workers

WHEN:	March 15, 2004 @ 10:30 am EDT 

WHERE:		215-F West Main St., Immokalee, Florida
 
For more information please call Lyndsay Cruz at Oxfam America, 202-460-0760

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