Associated Press: A coalition of American churches joined farmworker advocates Thursday to urge McDonald’s Corp. to pay more for its tomatoes to help boost the wages of tomato pickers.
The National Council of Churches request comes after the Florida-based Coalition of Immokalee Workers announced their campaign last month to pressure the fast-food giant to pay more for the fruit.
“Every so often there comes a moment that holds out the promise of making the world a significantly better place, if only we take action. Today the McDonald’s corporation is presented with one of those moments,” Council General Secretary, the Rev. Robert Edgar, said in a statement.
A call requesting comment from McDonald’s was not returned Thursday.
Florida pickers harvest about 90 percent of the nation’s domestic winter tomato supply.
The council, which represents about 35 Christian denominations, supported the Coalition of Immokalee Worker’s four-year boycott to pressure Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, to pay more for its tomatoes.
Louisville, Kentucky-based Yum! agreed in March to raise its price, an increase that was to be directly passed on to farmworkers.
