Blog 8- CIW and Via Campensia

 The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (C.I.W.) and La Via Campesina are two main organizations out there, that fight to improve wages and the working conditions of field workers. These two nonprofit organizations stand up for immigrant workers that are unjustly treated. These workers are getting paid next to nothing working on these plantations to produce the foods that are than bought by large corporations.  Both these organizations are trying to bring peoples’ attention to these corporations so maybe things can change and these workers will have better wages and good working environments. Many of these immigrant workers are either Indian or Latino and are forced to work with these conditions because they have no other option and need to provide for their families. The workers don’t boycott because if they did they would have no job and would be fired and replaced by other immigrants, knowing the desperation of these people.

Organizations like C.I.W. are set up to speak out for these workers and fight for them to be treated as equals. They want to raise wages for these tomato pickers and are voicing out, hoping people will become aware of the situation and want to help. One thing C.I.W. has done to try to help these farm workers survive on very little income, is pressure these farm owners to pay one extra penny per pound of tomatoes. Although this does not seem like a lot, it would help raise the wages of these workers to a lot higher than they receive now. Places like McDonalds and Taco Bell are two main corporations that agreed to pay more so the workers would in turn make a higher wages. 

Illegal immigrants are hired by these corporations because they work for such little money and know they cannot complain because not just do they need the job, but they want to stay in the country. If they voiced their opinion it may hurt the image of these corporations, but they would also be forced to leave the country they want to be in. 

La Via Campesina also has a lot of the same motives as C.I.W. They described themselves as, “an international movement which coordinates peasant organizations of small and middle-scale producers, agricultural workers, rural women, and indigenous communities from Asia, Africa, America, and Europe". This is a group that is also striving for justice for immigrant workers. They are wanting change to come and are working for individuals rights to produce. Both La Via Campesina and C.I.W. are voicing out hoping to put pressure on these corporations that benefit so much from paying unjust wages to illegal immigrant workers. As consumers these organizations are asking you to think about what you eat and where it comes from and what conditions the workers had to go through to get you that tomato. If consumers start to question these issues than it will cause for a change or it will begin to hurt the corporations. Many CEO’s of these corporations that are benefiting off immigrant workers, won’t admit knowledge of poor working conditions, but if people continue to press the issue, it will eventually have to be heard.