KITAH VAV FIGHTS MODERN DAY SLAVERY
The sixth grade means business at Wendy’s
BY JOSH MESSING AND ISAAC ORONSKY
Let us tell you about what we are dealing with here. There is an order of business called the Fair Food Program. This program is sponsored by the Coalitin of Immokalee Workers in Florida, and helps poor laborers in that state who pick tomatoes to get a little bit of extra money for their work, and more humane working conditions. All the pickers are asking for is that buyers of their tomatoes pay just one more measly penny for each pound of tomatoes they pick. Just $0.01 more for a whole pound.
Keep in mind that the wages of these workers haven’t changed very much in 30 years! Walmart and every single fast food chain, except for Wendy’s, has agreed to join the program and pay a little more for the tomatoes. Our mission — which was inspired by T’ruah, the Jewish voice for justice — was to visit the Walnut Creek Wendy’s and convince the Wendy’s manager to send a letter (signed by all the students in our class) to the HQ of Wendy’s to convince Wendy’s to join the Fair Food Program.
There was a lot of preparation beforehand. We had practiced for all of the situations we thought were possible: a mean manager who wanted nothing to do with us, a nice manager that listened and took the letter, and we even practiced a scenario if the manager wasn’t there! Ahead of time, we made many signs — not to protest the manager if she said no, but to make a visual appearance.
When we got inside, we asked to see the manager. When she came out, we explained what the Fair Food Program was. She liked the idea and took the letter. Afterwards, we took a picture with her.
When we got back to our classroom, Moreh Eli told us that all of the managers at all of the Wendy’s were instructed not to accept letters from anyone regarding the Fair Food Program. We felt really accomplished. We are hoping that Wendy’s will accept the letter and join the program without further hassle or resistance.