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[In May of 2008, Burger King (in an abrupt turnaround) settled with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers ( Burger King Campaign Comes to an End with Historic Press Conference, Signing Ceremony at U.S. Capital ) for a 1.5 cent per pound raise (1/2 penny going to the growers to cover their added administration costs). This raise amounted to a 70% increase to the workers; their first wage increase in decades.]
“The Orwellian big lie that is being put forward on the American people, that the problem is the migrants. No, the problem is the industries that have taken what were well paid jobs, that turned them into jobs that only poor desperate people would do…” -Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser, investigative journalist, and author of Fast Food Nation sits down with Orville Schell, Dean of UC-Berkeley to discuss the politics and economics of the food system in America. Schlosser, speaking on behalf of those who may have no voice themselves in our society, shares some of the terrible inequalities that exist among American workers, especially in the agriculture production and food processing sectors of our economy. Shedding light on industries that prey upon the poorest and most desperate members of society, Schlosser is quick to point out that the problem is not with the individual, it’s the system, and how it is currently structured that must be changed.
Though this conversation took place in November of 2007, before the economic meltdown, what they discuss is as relevant then, as it is now. The inequality in America, the gap between the rich and the poor, those who hold power, and those upon whom society turns a blind eye, or worse; the gross inequalities that threaten to undermine the whole economic system. Pointing to the thorny issue of illegal immigrants in America, Schlosser points out an ugly truth: corporations profit from this supply of exploitable labor; these people often fill jobs no one else wants. Instead of erecting walls along the endless miles separating our nation’s borders, or hiring countless more border guards, Schlosser argues almost counter-intuitively that the solution is to guarantee every worker a living wage, and insure safe working conditions in every workplace.
For those who may by now have heard enough of the (all too familiar) liberal cry for more government, increased taxes, more regulation on corporations, and a redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor, what Schlosser has to say is not only based upon a moral appeal, it also makes economic sense. His story, Penny Foolish about the migrant farm workers who harvest tomatoes in Florida, is a national disgrace. Working under horrendous conditions, poor pay, and in some cases, forced labor, these workers were asking for a 1 penny per pound increase in their pay (that would amount to 77 cents per bucket). The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a farmer alliance group helped them negotiate with the largest purchasers of Florida tomatoes, the fast food industry. MacDonalds and Taco Bell agreed to the price increase provided the (entire) increase was paid directly to the workers. However, Burger King, majority-owned by a group of private equity firms headed by Goldman Sachs, refused to pay the added price, eventually leading to the collapse of the prior agreements with the other purchasers. As Schlosser points out, the total amount of this pay hike for all 10,000 tomato pickers in the State of Florida would have amounted to $250,000, a drop in the bucket when you consider that the 12 top executives of Goldman sachs (in 2006) were given bonuses totaling 200 million dollars.
This is more than about the price paid for tomatoes, or the plight of migrant workers; it’s about a system that seems to define capitalism beyond all enlightened measure. Rampant consumerism, selfishness, greed, and a perverse sense of mockery toward those who invoke the public good, Schlosser argues, is the heart of the system that has led to perhaps the greatest inequality in this country since the height of the robber-baron era in the 1890’s.
For more videos about poverty and income disparities in America: Joel Berg: How To End Hunger In America; Joel Berg: How To End Hunger In America-Part 2