Over the past few months, workers at three food companies captured America’s attention. First, in July, workers at Frito-Lay went on strike for basic workers’ rights and a non-exploitative wage. Then in August, workers at Nabisco went on strike and won hourly wage increases and better benefits. Now, workers at Kellogg’s are on strike for better wages and real benefits. Kellogg’s owners are threatening to outsource jobs to Mexico if workers don’t accept the erosion of basic benefits that have been in place for decades – this is unacceptable. 

Corporate profits have soared, but American workers haven’t seen any of this prosperity. Unions and workers across the country, not just in the food industry, are fighting back for living wages and real benefits – simply a decent shot at the American dream. 10,000 John Deere workers and 24,000 Kaiser Permanente nurses are on strike, and 60,000 movie and TV show production crew workers were on the verge of a strike when Hollywood executives finally opened up their cushioned wallets and decided to afford their workers some basic necessities: better protections and better pay.

American workers are tired of being subjected to long hours, sham benefits, and wages that they can’t survive on. They are sick and tired of the decades-long trend of executives getting rich off of their hard work and sacrifices. They are sick and tired of the fact that the United States has some of the highest income inequality rates of any developed country, and that the middle class has been hollowed out by decades of corporate bailouts and tax loopholes. They’re speaking out – if executives don’t care for their own employees, they’ll end up on the wrong side of the picket line. 

The gains that unions won recently might not seem monumental – a 4% raise at Frito-Lay and a 2.25% raise at Nabisco won’t solve the systemic issues of income inequality and exploitative labor practices. But these strikes have mobilized the American people.

On the Pitchfork Economics podcast, Jason Probst, a Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives, explained that Americans boycotted Frito-Lay and supporters workers during strikes. He sees this as a sign that the public is sick and tired of corporate exploitation. 

We’ve launched a petition to support American workers across the country as they organize to end exploitative labor practices and fight for the wages and benefits that they deserve. If you stand with workers and activists, and not corporate executives and wealthy investors, sign our petition now!

Don’t cross the picket line. Sign our petition and pledge to stand with food workers and other workers across the country! Are you with us?

Thanks for helping us defend American workers from exploitative labor practices.

Team Civic Action