Calling on Kangaroo: Support Justice for Tobacco Farmworkers!

In December 2011, a group of North Carolina organizations led by the Beloved Community Center (BCC) wrote Kangaroo Chairman of the Board Ed Holman asking for a meeting to discuss how the NC based chain can help end human rights abuses in the tobacco fields of its home state. FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez also reached …

Kangaroo Consumer Actions

Kangaroo customers throughout North Carolina and South Carolina have been visiting their local Kangaroo stores to voice their concern over working conditions in NC tobacco fields, and to call on Kangaroo to meet with concerned consumers and then convey their concerns to Reynolds. Consumers have been delivering letters to the store managers, asking them to …

Concerned customers rally at Kangaroo in Greensboro, NC

(From Chris Stella, FLOC Organizing Intern) On September 26th, 2013, a contingent of community activists gathered in front of the Kangaroo Express on Green Valley Road in Greensboro, NC. Supportive motorists honked as they drove by. Groups represented were UNCG NC Student Power Union, Greensboro ISO, Greensboro IWW, NCAE and Organize 20/20. A letter was …

AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Shuler Visits NC Tobacco Fields

On Saturday August 17, FLOC hosted AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Schuler for a Camp Solidarity visit. Accompanying her were five organizers from the United Steel Workers, representatives from the NC AFL-CIO, President of Farmworker Justice Bruce Goldstein, and several other FLOC supporters and allies. Mr. Goldstein and FLOC attorney Bob Willis, who have played an integral …

Labor Allies Pledge Support to NC Tobacco Farmworkers

On Saturday, June 8, 2013 FLOC hosted Camp Solidarity for delegates from various organizations and unions in North Carolina, including the N.C. AFL-CIO, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Alliance for Retired Americans, Amalgamated Transit Union, the Triangle CLC and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. These organizations have been strong FLOC allies in years past, …

MARCH ON REYNOLDS 2013

FLOC and allies March on Reynolds Shareholders Meeting and Demand the Company do More Than Talk Farmworkers and their supporters turned out in full force on May 9 at the Reynolds American 2013 Shareholders Meeting. At one of the largest and most energetic events since the beginning of the campaign, over 300 people including labor, clergy, students, …

7-Eleven Consumers Demand Human Rights for Farmworkers

On behalf of thousands of concerned consumers, the A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI) wrote to 7-Eleven in October, 2012, asking the company for a meeting to discuss what the company could do to respond to consumer concerns and be a part of improving conditions for NC tobacco farmworkers. Although the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy …

Customers visit Kangaroo Headquarters to demand rights for Tobacco Farmworkers

On Friday March 1st, 2013 a group of UNC and NC State students, along with union leaders and community leaders visited The Pantry Inc, (parent company of Kangroo) headquarters to express their concerns about human rights violations of tobacco farmworkers in North Carolina and the South. Madeline Miller and Catherine Crowe, both students at UNC-CH …

Wawa Consumers Demand Justice for Farmworkers

Wawa, a popular convenience store in the Northeast, is also an important customer of McLane distribution company, Reynolds’ largest customer. Consumers as well as State Federations have written to Wawa, first asking the company to help arrange a meeting between FLOC and McLane, and later asking the company to convey consumer concerns to Reynolds. Wawa …

Consumers rally at Kangaroo stores around NC on International Human Rights Day

December, 2012 On the days leading up to International Human Rights day, students, the faith community, and labor allies committed to standing up for the human rights of farmworkers throughout the tobacco supply chain. Supporters gathered at local Kangaroo Express convenience stores in Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Greensboro, sending a clear message to Kangaroo that …