Media Credit: Jon Huang Lucas Benitez of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a Florida-based worker's rights group, speaks to sympathetic protesters at the Burger King on Guadaulpe Street. The coalition is attempting to persuade Burger King to require their agricultural suppliers to adhere to a code of conduct and to pay one cent more per pound of tomatoes, agreements that McDonalds and Yum! Brands, which owns Taco Bell, have already signed.

Crowds gathered in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. statue on the UT campus Saturday afternoon and marched to Burger King on Guadalupe Street in protest of tomato pickers' rights in Immokalee, Fla.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers organized the protest against Burger King to help stimulate recognition for the farm workers in Immokalee. The organization fights for fair wages and rights for laborers, a majority of whom are Latino, Haitian and Mayan Indian. The workers want a penny more per pound of tomatoes they produce and pick in Immokalee. This protest was part of a five-day event that included UT's Student Conference on Latin America.

The statue of Martin Luther King Jr. loomed over Lucas Benitez, co-founder of the coalition, as he spoke over a bullhorn to rally protesters for the rights of farm workers.

"Give us the dignity and respect that we deserve as farm workers in America," Benitez said.

Benitez organizes protests at universities and in churches to get the youth involved, he said.

"I've been to over 100 protests around the country at universities. In the student community, we create more awareness about farm workers," he said. "These campaigns helped get McDonald's and Taco Bell to change their policies regarding their labor force; we fight to get Burger King to change its policy, too."

People from all over the U.S. gathered to support the organization's cause. Shannon Gorroes traveled from Kansas to march in Saturday's protest.

"I'm here to march in solidarity with my Immokalee brothers," Gorroes said.

Omar Berrios, an aspiring documentary filmmaker from Puerto Rico, came with a group of San Antonians to support Benitez' cause.

"The way big business in America treats its workers affects the world economy; it affects everyone," Berrios said.

Meghan Cohorst, a coalition board member who organized the protest, said she believes this type of grassroots demonstration is part of a greater movement for all oppressed people.

"Protesting is part of direct action, and the gain from protesting translates to all workers - not only workers in Immokalee, but those in industries where the abuse of labor runs rampant," Cohorst said. "Protesting is just one of the steps in the process for change," she said.

Five police units were called to the protest at Burger King, but the demonstration remained peaceful. Burger King employees did not come out of the restaurant and refused to comment about the protest, but they told protesters to "get off the Burger King lot," through a loud speaker.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools