Dozens of activists demonstrated outside a new grocery store chain, Publix, located at Northshore Town Center on Sunday, as part of a nation-wide Labor Day protest.
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers said it was raising awareness about farm workers poor working conditions. Sunday afternoon demonstrators handed out leaflets to customers and asked to speak with the Publix's manager about their concerns. According to the leaflets, the Labor Day protest advocated to increase the wages and ensure their basic human rights of Florida's farm workers.
The group was asking Publix to join other leading food corporations, like McDonald's, Burger King, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, to join Fair Food Program Partnership. This program urges food stores and restaurants to sign a code of conduct that advances the human rights of farm workers.
According to the leaflets, if a company joins the Fair Food collaboration, it will not use food from providers that "abuse" its farm workers. Secondly, the group is asking stores to a pay a penny more per pound for the price of tomatoes. The Coalition says its hopes this money will go towards implementing change within the food industry.