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Article

28 Apr 2008

Author:
Associated Press

Farm worker advocates to present Burger King with petitions

Farm worker advocates sought to present more than 80,000 signatures to Burger King officials Monday urging the fast-food giant to join McDonald’s Corp. and Taco Bell [part of YUM!] and help boost the wages of Florida tomato pickers... Gerardo Reyes, a member of...the Coalition of Immokalee Workers [said] “We are making the same demands we have made of the rest of the fast-food industry.” The presentation of the petitions...came the same day that a newspaper reported that a top Burger King official used his young daughter’s e-mail address to spread misinformation about the farm worker group...Burger King said the comments attributed to the official do not reflect its official policy. “We have a robust vendor code of conduct which mandates zero tolerance for worker exploitation and abuse, and we are open to any responsible suggestions for improvement,” she spokeswoman Denise Wilson in a statement... Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell owner Yum Brands have agreed to a deal with the coalition that would boost wages for tomato pickers and help improve conditions in the fields... But since last fall the deal has been on paper only after the industry group representing Florida tomato growers refused to allow its members to participate.