Trader Joe's refuses to pay fair wages

[beah]

Did you know that Trader Joe's denied its tomato harvesters a $0.01 per pound raise that could dramatically change these farm workers' lives? WTF, TJ's? You're supposed to be Good! Many are boycotting in protest. Are you?

Comments

[penk]

Please please read the commentary followign that article. TJ's is not refusing to raise the price. They're refusing to sign a contract that includes that price raise that severely limits what they can and cannot do regarding purchases.

TJ's replies, directly, "Trader Joe’s is working directly with wholesalers and growers to pay an extra penny per pound to those growers from whom we buy tomatoes grown in Florida. We have no problem paying an extra penny per pound as a “fair food” premium to certified growers or having those growers' pass-through of the premium audited by a third-party. "

[cos]

"severely limits" is a value judgement that I'm not sure is warranted. What the contract binds them to, is to only buy from farms that sign on to these standards. TJ's is effectively saying "sure, we support these standards and will voluntarily buy tomatoes from farms that uphold them, but we're not willing to sign an agreement that binds us to not buy from farms that *don't* uphold them." IOW, TJ's is saying "we will do what you ask, we just aren't willing to commit to keep doing it."