LAC "Food Chains" Movie Screening

On Thursday May 14th, SCCAP's Labor Action committee or LAC hosted a private screening on the film "Food Chains." This film focuses on the life and struggles of farm workers within the tomato industry. It mainly revolved around the lives of workers in tomato farms, but it also touched on the overall struggle of every farm worker to earn a decent wage and be able to provide for their families.

The film started with the many assumptions people have about the largest and riches companies and industries in the world. The truth is that supermarkets are some of the wealthiest industries earning more than $4 trillion globally. Many think that huge fast food companies are worth the most. But because of the unfair wages the workers receive, these companies earth trillions. The story then followed the coalition of Immokalee Workers revolutionizing farm labor and protesting a chain in Florida. It then went across the United States and showed the same issues, especially here in California. California is known for its huge and diverse vegetable production. But what many people don't see is the slave like conditions workers are suffering on a daily basis.

Most workers today are Mexican or from Central America, because the U.S. went into their countries and took international farmers out of business. The United States decided they should sell products at a lower costs, from having cheaper labor, which all together contribute to major violations of human rights issues. This adds to the major problem that is very prominent today. Farm workers are directly paid by the piece rather than hour which as recalled in the film is legacy of slavery. As a result farm workers are barely earning about $12,000, while large retailers gain billion annually. Throughout the film the movement was aimed with the goal for farmers to receive only one penny more for each load of tomatoes they picked. This would only cost the company about $1 million dollars, which is nothing to a trillion dollar industry.

If all of these struggles weren't serious enough many women suffer of sexual harassment as well with over 80% of women being expose to such problems. And because of the wages most of these farm workers are living under the poverty line and began a hunger strike to bring more awareness.

The solution that came was “The Fair Food Program asks large retailers like supermarkets and fast food restaurants to pay just a penny more per pound of tomatoes and to refuse to buy tomatoes from farms with human rights violations...To date, twelve major retailers have signed on including Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, McDonalds, the YUM Brands, Chipotle, Burger King, Aramark, Compass Group, Bon Appetit, Sodexo, and Subway.”  http://www.foodchainsfilm.com/

The most important lesson I learned from our film is that communities everywhere, but most importantly powerful active communities such as SCU have a lot of power. We sometimes forget that these farm workers struggles even pertain to us. But the truth is that they do and they are affecting millions of lives everyday. It is the responsibility of us as educated citizens to bring awareness, help educate others, and never forget where our food comes from. We have the power to choose where we buy our food and what we also choose to consume. Joining with strikes, participating in events hosted by SCCAP and other activists clubs will come a long way. This event really opened my eyes to an industry I wasn't too informed about and really taught me the value of privilege and giving thanks to all that I am fortunate enough in my community.  With this event and the previous community engagement I want to continue to go forward as an educate citizen and continue to learn more for myself and the bettering of my community.