[Peace] News Flash! VICTORY! McDonald's caves!

[Ricky Baldwin]

NEWS FLASH!  McDONALDS CAVES!

Major agreement signed with Coalition of Immokalee
Workers!

Today (Mon. April 9, 2007) fastfood giant McDonald’s
signed a historic agreement with the Coalition of
Immokalee Workers, the grassroots labor association of
mostly immigrant farmworkers in Florida, accepting CIW
demands exceeding concessions made by Taco Bell in
March 2005.  

Concluding a four-year boycott, Taco Bell agreed to
pay a penny a pound more for tomatoes (with the
proviso that the extra cent is passed on through
growers to farmworkers) and to work with the CIW to
improve conditions in the fields.  

Now, just four days before the CIW was to announce its
formal boycott, McDonald’s has agreed to all that,
plus a “workers rights consortium” – an independent
monitoring group to oversee conditions in the fields,
similar to the consortium established by US Students
Against Sweatshops in 2001 for school-sponsored
apparel.  (Yes, UIUC is  member.)
	
And now for the bad news.  This means the McDonald’s
Truth Tour will not be stopping in Urbana-Champaign. 
It’s over.  Most local events are cancelled.  
A couple of Immokalee Workers who were already in
Chicago will, however, be making the scheduled
appearance in 100 Noyes Hall today at 4pm to make the
announcement and answer questions.

Events in Chicago April 13-14 are still on.  Friday’s
planned protest will be a conference of involved
groups.  Saturday’s carnaval/march will be a
celebration.

Representatives of the local solidarity network will
appear at the following widely-publicized public
events to announce this historic victory  – and
discuss upcoming events in Chicago as well as the next
CIW target.

(Taco Bell: 4 years, McDonalds: -4 days
 Watch out,
Burger King!)

Mon. April 9 at 4PM – 100 Noyes Hall
Mon. April 9 at 7:45PM – Central Illinois Mosque and
Islamic Center
Tue. April 10 at 12noon – Rally on the UIUC Quad

If you had planned to go to Chicago via locally
organized transportation and are NOT going, or if you
had not planned to go but would still like to go,
please let us know ASAP.  I’m at 328-3037.  I also
check email about once a day.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT!



 
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