Advocate for Black & Brown Lives

In Our Food System During COVID-19

To date 34,000+ COVID19 cases and more than 140 deaths have been reported from Tyson Foods' meat packing facilities since the start of the pandemic on American soil. While many agencies are battling to slow the spread and protect it's workers, Tyson Foods, as well as other meat processing plants, have lagged in efforts to protect their workers. This is why HEAL Food Alliance has created a call for action to promote food service workers rights during the time of COVID.

The Food Justice Network, as a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to systemic change and supporting Black and Brown lives, would love to stand in solidarity with food services workers across the nation.  Put simply, if it doesn't work for them, then it doesn't work for any of us. We're all dependent upon the sustained health and well-being of Tyson's workers.

Image: Point one of HEAL Food Alliance platform. Learn more here.

Here's what we're asking Tyson to do:

1. Provide paid leave during quarantine for all workers who test positive for COVID-19 and to those workers who were in close contact with the infected individual.
2. Provide personal protective equipment to all workers including new respirators on the production floor at the beginning of every shift, with appropriate fit testing and training on proper donning and doffing procedures, in languages workers understand.
3. Ensure workers can practice physical distancing + slow down line speeds for poultry, swine, and cattle, regardless of whether a waiver has been granted to operate at higher slaughter speeds.
4. Ensure daily testing is available for workers and their communities.
5. Be transparent and publicly disclose all COVID-19 cases.
6. Stop all lobbying efforts pressuring USDA to grant line speed waivers in all species + halt all applications to the USDA FSIS for higher speed slaughter waivers.
7. Respect workers’ rights to freedom of association, to organize a union, and to bargain collectively, free from retaliation, as recognized by the UN through its International Labor Organization (ILO) Conventions.
8. Implement systems and policies to both protect workers from retaliation and encourage workplace safety and risk reporting, in order to ensure that all workers report any workplace safety lapses or symptoms of illness. This would include education for all employees and reporting mechanisms for workers’ safety and health concerns.
9. Eliminate the point system that results in unfairly firing workers who miss a certain number of shifts, including those who are legitimately afraid to go back to work because of unsafe working conditions due to COVID-19.

Please join us in taking action against Tyson Foods and standing in solidarity with food service workers across the nation.

 Food Justice Network Meeting July 22, 2020    

Wednesday, July 22nd 10:30am-12:30pm on Zoom

It's July and our next Virtual Meeting is here! Please mark your attendance for the bi-monthly meeting where we will discuss collective Network programming and capacity building.  launching the Food Security Text Messaging Program with Elza Thomas, City Comprehensive Plan Participation with Shantell & Brooke, Updates on the COVID Wrap Around Support with Gabby Levet (WOULD NOT be possible without Network Organizations stepping to the plate in collaboration), and Racial Equity Capacity Building with Selena Cozart, Jeanette Abi-Nader, and Eileen Emerson.

Food Equity Initiative MidYear City Council Report

Monday, July 20th starting at 6:30pm 

Join us for the upcoming City Council meeting on Monday, July 20th where Shantell will provide a brief midyear report on the Food Equity Initiative partnership with City Council. We hope to present during public comment. Details for City Council meetings can be found here. 

 Food Security Text Messaging Service     

While we'd love to include every partner currently mapped or listed(longer list of additional resources) in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, we're kindly asking permission to do so first! With over 50 food access points in our area, many food insecure and newly food insecure residents may face difficulties navigating resources. We understand not every resource provides the same support or operates at the same hours. The idea to create a automated text messaging program to direct residents to neighborhood resources (or away from certain resources if over burdened), is one we hope to launch as a collective. If you're an organization with resources to offer and you would like them included. Please fill out this short survey (3minutes) to Opt-in!

Member Spotlight: Alex London-Gross, Executive Director of PB&J Fund

Because it wouldn't work without our supporters...         

Networks like CFJN would not exist without the partnerships of powerful organizations, the support of dedicated volunteers, and the generous funding from foundations and donors. We owe a huge thank you to the USDA Community Food Projects Program, the City Council of Charlottesville, the Hartfield Foundation, the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, and more.

Thank you!

If you'd like to support the important work of CFJN and fund the movement, please donate.

At Cultivate Charlottesville we believe that working together to grow gardens, share food and power, and advocate for just systems cultivates a healthy community for all.