Title
Resolution to Encourage Ann Arbor Community Members to Support Farm Workers Rights and to Boycott Wendy’s and Other Food Service Providers not Supportive of the Fair Food Program
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor strives to be a warm and welcoming community, protective of human rights, supportive of sustainable practices, and demanding of safe working conditions. However, the supply chain for many large food service providers have historically created or condoned conditions that are unsafe for farmworkers through their supply chains. Although several popular chains have signed onto the Fair Food Program, Wendy’s has not and as a result the City Council calls for all members of the Ann Arbor community, including its largest institutions, to boycott Wendy’s until the company joins the Fair Food Program.
Budget Impact: This resolution has no impact on the current year budget and is being incorporated into the FY20 budget.
Staff
Approved and Sponsored by: Councilmember Elizabeth Nelson
Body
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor desires to be a warm and welcoming community, protective of human rights, supportive of sustainable practices, and demanding of safe working conditions;
Whereas, Support for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and the Presidential Medal-winning Fair Food Program is consistent with the City’s values by identifying verifiable protections for farmworkers against sexual violence and other human rights abuses in the supply chain for food service chains and franchises;
Whereas, Wendy’s has announced its intentions to move its purchases away from Mexico’s abusive tomato industry to greenhouse operations in the US and Canada;
Whereas, Greenhouse farming does not inherently protect farmworkers against sexual violence and abuse, and Wendy’s has released misleading statements, including the claim that greenhouses have “inherent benefits of safe indoor working conditions” known to be false by farmworkers;
Whereas, The shift in sourcing does not excuse Wendy’s from its duties to respect workers’ rights; and
Whereas, The Procurement Office at the University of Michigan is currently engaging in a “competitive bidding process” to select vendors in the basement of the Michigan Union, where Wendy’s previously existed on campus;
RESOLVED, That the City Council encourages the University of Michigan to reject any bid from Wendy’s to be a vendor in the Michigan Union; and
RESOLVED, That the City Council encourages members of the Ann Arbor community, including large institutions providing space for food service franchise, to boycott Wendy’s until they demonstrate their commitment to farmworkers’ rights by joining the Fair Food Program.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Nelson, Eaton and Griswold
As Amended and Approved by Ann Arbor City Council on February 4, 2019.