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March on Reynolds American shareholders meeting (5/3)

Jeremy Sprinkle
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Tell Reynolds to end the abuse, meet with FLOC!

Join us in Winston-Salem on May 3 as we rally and march for justice for tobacco farm workers!

For over 4 years the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC, AFL-CIO) has asked Reynolds American to meet with the farm workers who harvest their tobacco to discuss how to put an end to the human rights abuses occurring in North Carolina tobacco fields. While Reynolds continues business as usual, farm workers continue to suffer from dangerous and inhumane working and living conditions.

What: Picket outside the Reynolds American shareholders’ meeting and march in downtown W-S
When: 
Thursday, May 3 at 10:00am; picket at 10:30; march to follow
Where: 
Start at Lloyd Presbyterian Church, 748 N Chestnut St., Winston-Salem, NC; picket outside Reynolds American headquarters, 401 North Main Street Winston-Salem, NC.

FLOC will provide lunch after the march at no cost to participants.

Money for CEO's, ALEC - not for workers

The 2011 Executive PayWatch report showed that Reynolds American, which made more than $1.5 billion last year, is more than willing to pay its top employee big bucks. Unfortunately, that willingness does not extend to the workers who harvest its golden crop.

Reynolds CEO Dan Delen received $8.5 million total compensation for nine months of work last year. That's $5,903 an hour. The tobacco field workers whose labor makes that pay possible earn just $7.25 an hour - at best - working in some of the harshest conditions imaginable, living in sub-standard housing.

In fact, according to an analysis of the National Agricultural Workers Survey, North Carolina farm workers typically earn less than the national average of farm workers of $11,000 per year.  $11,000 is not even half the federal poverty level for a family of four!

But wait, there's more!

At the same time the company was raking in billions, it also slashed thousands of jobs from it’s processing plants in Winston-Salem, leaving thousands of hard-working families without a paycheck.

Reynolds is also a corporate sponsor of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and Reynolds executive David Powers sits on ALEC’s corporate board.

Tell Reynolds the time has come to take responsibility for its actions and its supply chain.  We will not stand by as Reynolds turns a blind eye to human rights abuses, puts profit over people, and supports anti-worker, anti-immigrant corporate front-groups like ALEC.

Our presence at Reynolds’ Shareholders Meeting is crucial.  It’s our time to go face to face with Reynolds executives and tell them we demand justice. Won't you join us?

For more information, contact [email protected], or 919-731-4433.