FORT MYERS (Florida) NEWS-PRESS

September 10, 2008

Whole Foods agrees to pay Immokalee tomato workers more

By AMY BENNETT WILLIAMS

First, it was the world's three biggest fast food companies; now Whole Foods Market has promised the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to raise pay and improve working conditions.

The Texas-based natural foods giant agreed today to pay a penny and a half more per pound for Florida tomatoes and to establish higher labor standards for the workers who harvest them.

Whole Foods is the first grocery chain to join Burger King, McDonald's and Taco Bell's parent company, Yum! Brands, in signing the agreement with the coalition.


“With this agreement, the Campaign for Fair Food has again broken new ground,” said coalition member Gerardo Reyes in a prepared statement. “This is not only our first agreement in the supermarket industry but, in working with Whole Foods Market, we have the opportunity to really raise the bar to establish and ensure modern day labor standards and conditions in Florida.”


“We commend the CIW for their advocacy on behalf of these workers,” said Karen Christensen, global produce coordinator for Whole Foods in the same statement. “After carefully evaluating the situation in Florida, we felt that an agreement of this nature was in line with our core values and was in the best interest of the workers.”