===== A message from the 'shadecoffee' discussion list ===== Here is the press release sent out by Global Exchange about Starbucks' agreement to carry certified Fair Trade coffee. As you will note, they are planning to go after other companies now. Carolee >From: Deborah James <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: Post Fairtradecoffee >Subject: Starbucks Gives In! >Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2000 08:43:21 -0700 > >FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE >MONDAY, APRIL 10 >Contact: Jason Mark, Global Exchange, 415-255-7296 x 230 or >Deborah James 510.290.0573 > >In a Stunning Concession to Protesters Just Days Before the Launch of a >National Campaign, Starbucks Agrees to Offer Its Customers Fair Trade >Certified Coffee by the End of the Year > >Human Rights Activists Say Thousands of Poor Farmers in the Developing >World >Will Be Guaranteed a Living Wage > >Protesters Now Plan to Turn Their Attention to Other Coffee Retailers > >Bowing to human rights activists¹ demands to begin guaranteeing a living >wage for small coffee farmers in the developing world, Starbucks announced >today that it has signed a contract to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee as >one of its brands in more than 2,000 cafes across the United States >starting >this fall. The announcement comes just three days before the launch of a >nationwide, grassroots campaign demanding that the giant retailer offer its >customers the choice to buy socially responsible, Fair Trade Certified >coffee.. Protests in front of Starbucks cafes had been scheduled to take >place in 30 cities across the country on Thursday, April 13. > >"This represents the largest purchase of Fair Trade Certified coffee in the >United States," said Deborah James, Director of the Fair Trade Program at >Global Exchange, a San Francisco-based human rights organization that had >organized the nationwide protests. "It¹s a huge victory for farmers in the >developing world. Thousands of farming families in poor countries will see >their incomes triple with this purchase." > >The company¹s sudden decision highlights the increasing power of citizens >movements to hold corporations accountable for their actions. The >announcement also underscores the growing demand for products made in >conditions that are not exploitative; coffee is the first product with an >independent certifying system that ensures against sweatshop abuses. > >"This is a major step for the corporate accountability movement," said >Medea >Benjamin, Global Exchange¹s Founding Director. "Coffee farmers are some of >the most exploited workers in the world. The Fair Trade system, which >guarantees farmers a living wage for their harvest, provides a real >solution. With the extra earnings, coffee growers are able to invest in >their families¹ health care, education, and community development." > >"Coffee drinkers will now have the choice of buying socially responsible, >Fair Trade coffee," Benjamin added. "But consumers should know that >Starbucks coffee without the Fair Trade seal is very likely sweatshop >coffee." > >The Fair Trade system guarantees a minimum price for small farmers¹ harvest >and encourages organic and sustainable cultivation methods that are safer >for communities. Fair Trade farmers are provided badly needed credit and >assured a minimum of $1.26 per pound. In comparison, the world price >usually >hovers around $1 per pound, but most farmers earn less than 50 cents per >pound since they are forced to sell to exploitative middlemen. > >"We're happy that Fair Trade Certified coffee is finally becoming available >in the United States," said Jorge Cueves, a manager of a Fair Trade >cooperative in Oaxaca, Mexico. "It will mean so much for our communities >and >our families. A fair price means the difference between poverty and >success." > >Fair Trade promoters say they will now turn their attention to companies >that have not committed to offering their consumers socially responsible >coffee, including Folgers, Maxwell House, Peets, Diedrich Coffee, Tully¹s, >Barnies, Seattle¹s Best, and Caribou. ### > >**************************************************************** > >Dear Fair Trade Activists, > >BEFORE THEY EVEN GOT WHAT WAS COMING TO THEM, WE DID IT! >This is truly a victory for farmers and for the corporate >accountability/Fair Trade movements. They even admitted that they wouldn¹t >have done it without the pressure they were feeling from activists!! > >The victory here is really twofold. First and foremost it is a victory for >the farmers, whose incomes will triple due to this large purchase. They >are >who we are really accountable to. It is also a huge victory for the >corporate accountability movement; citizens are making it clear that we >have >the power to make corporations pay a living wage to workers. There is no >doubt to anyone, including Starbucks, that this victory for Fair Trade is >happening because of the threat that you as activists pose. They recognize >your power, and you won! You deserve to be congratulated for your vision >and commitment to Fair Trade! > >Our vision, as we stated to them, is that all coffee in the entire industry >is either a) Fair Trade Certified or b) if produced on a plantation, is >harvested by workers whose labor rights are respected and independently >monitored. It should also be certified organic and shade grown. > >We are calling for the actions to be changed from protests to Victory >Celebrations/Fair Trade Rallies. The flyer includes the concessions that >we¹ve all won from Starbucks as well as the demands that are still active. >In sum: >-Starbucks will offer Fair Trade Certified whole bean coffee at every store >(that sells whole beans) >-Starbucks will launch a major educational campaign to promote this coffee > >including special packaging, posters, pamphlets, barista education, etc to >increase consumer demand >However, we still think it is important to pressure them on the following >points: >- Starbucks will offer Fair Trade coffee at universities where students >demand it >- If there is widespread consumer demand, Starbucks will begin offering >brewed Fair Trade coffee >- They have not yet implemented their own Code of Conduct that they >announced over three years ago. We need to pressure them to work with >independent monitors and demand that they ensure that coffee workers on >plantations are paid a living wage. > >The next targets in the campaign are the next largest retail chains selling >gourmet sweatshop coffee nationally; Peets, Diedrich Coffee, Tully¹s, >Barnies, Seattle¹s Best, and Caribou. By choosing a larger number of >targets instead of one, we hope to ensure that all of the next largest >companies can be brought on board with Fair Trade soon. We hope you¹ll >want >to start organizing for the next National Day of Action May 20!! > >Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this; I will be >in >DC for the action there until the evening of April 13, when I will come >back >to SF for the Specialty Coffee Association of America meeting. If you need >to speak to me my cell phone number is 510.290.0573 let us know how it >goes! > >Thank you again for all your hard work and commitment to Fair Trade for >coffee farmers. > >Following please find the list of Rallies and the final Open Letter to >Starbucks. Thanks to all of you who organized and endorsed this action >it¹s a victory for all of us! > >Please check the website for further details about the new strategy and the >new targets for May 20. > >Deborah > >**************************************************************** >Amherst, MA >71 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA, 4:30 pm >Winnie Bird 413.542.2910 [EMAIL PROTECTED] 413 542 2910 > >Athens, OH >Baker Student Center >Chris Crews 740.589.6479 (740)592-2581 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Austin >600 Congress Avenue @ 6th 5:30 >Austin Peace in Justice Center Doug Zachary 512.452.7140 >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Bainbridge Island >Kitsap County Activists PO Box 11101 Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 >206-842-9582 >Neva Welton [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Berkeley, CA >2128 Oxford Street (at Center Street), 5 pm >Deborah James [EMAIL PROTECTED] 415.255.7296 > >Bloomington, IN >100 South block of Indiana Avenue in Bloomington >Matthew Turrissini [EMAIL PROTECTED] (812)333-9519 > >Boston, MA >Erykaa Snyder 781 893 9254 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Georgian Road, Weston, MA >02493 >Sunny [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Boulder, CO >Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center Foster Goodwill 303.443.8977 >Emily Becker [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Buffalo, NY >Student Union at University of Buffalo, 7-8 am, 1-2 pm >Jason Brody 716.837-8764 >Eric [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Chicago, IL >35 East Wacker Drive Starbucks, 3-6 pm >Emilia Baxter [EMAIL PROTECTED] 773.643.8725 > >Evanston >Sherman Ave. in Evanston between 11 and 1 on the 13th. >Peter Micek 847.332.5773 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Northwestern >University > >Ft Collins, CO >Starbucks (Drake & Lemay) in Ft.Collins, 3:30-5PM >Student Environmental Action Coalition at Thompson Valley High School >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Val I, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (970)622-9344 >Fresno, CA >8:30 PM at the Olive Ave Starbucks in Fresno's Tower District >Mark Stout [EMAIL PROTECTED] (559) 497-1724, fax: (559) 495-0641 (Media >contact) > >Los Angeles, CA >Weyburn and Broxton, 12 noon >Greg Hom [EMAIL PROTECTED] (310)267-9764 > >Madison, WI >661 State Street 9 am >UW-Madison Greens >John Peck 608.262.9036 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Middletown, CT >221 Church Street, Wesleyan University Campus Center, 12PM >Jean Friedman-Rudovsky [EMAIL PROTECTED] 860.685.5246 > >New York >Bill Talen: www.revbilly.com Reverend Billy 212.982.3899, >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >All day at 100 Starbucks in Manhattan. Awards SCHMEOS ceremony mocking >CLEO >awards for advertising giving one to SBUX, ten minutes to talk about why >they deserve a SCHMEO they can use SBUX as billboards as advertising. >600 >people. Press conference at SBUX across from tickets booth at noon or 1 at >49th & Broadway. Nice plaza in front of it. Across from MTV. Group of >followers 2 or 3 video cameras and sermons. Point out to New Yorkers >that >there are 100! There are too many. WBAI interview at night. Connection >between too many SBUX and financing it on the backs of farmers. > >Portland, OR >Portland State University campus >1436 SW Park >Jocelyn Furbush 503.725.7942 > >Sacramento >1901 J Street @19th, 1pm >1401 Alhambra Blvd, 2:30 pm >Sacramentans for International Labor Rights Heidi 916.456.9435 NO EMAIL >Sarah Depaoli 916.689.2405 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Salem, OR >Bob Rossi [EMAIL PROTECTED] >po box 2766 salem, or. 97308 503-581-1505, x. 141 > >San Francisco, CA >4094 18th Street @ Castro, 5:30 pm >Tommy Avicolli Mecca (415-552-6031) [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >San Rafael, CA >1100 Fourth Street @ A Street, San Rafael, 4 pm >Dian Griffeth 415.454.6669 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Marin Peace and >Justice >Center >Santa Barbara, CA >Hollister and Stork in Isla Vista, noon >Stake Street, Santa Barbara, noon >Shana Singh 805.685.5498 [EMAIL PROTECTED] >John Strawn [EMAIL PROTECTED] Santa Barbara Greens (805) 682-4050, > >Santa Cruz >1335 Pacific Avenue, 3:30 pm >Max Boycoff [EMAIL PROTECTED] 831.426.7389 > >Seattle >515 Pine Street @5th Street, 5PM >Forest Berg [EMAIL PROTECTED] 206.782.5264 (Media Contact) >Larissa George [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >South Point, OH >James A. Ward [EMAIL PROTECTED] 740 377-9639 > >St Louis, MO >6621 Delmar Loop at 4 pm, gather at Plowsharing Crafts (6271 Delmar) >Bill Ramsey [EMAIL PROTECTED], (314)725-5303 >Human Rights Action Service, Rapid Action Network > >Washington, DC >10:30 am at 1501 Connecticut Ave >Meet at Dupont Circle for demonstration at Starbucks store on the north >side, march by GAP to another Starbucks by the World Bank around noon: 801 >18th Street @ H. >Deborah James 510.290.0573 > >West Lafayette, IN >Purdue University >Mitch Ensign 765.420.8533 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Williamsburg, VA >University Center lobby, College of William and Mary >Kristy Bayman, [EMAIL PROTECTED], 757-258-0979 > >Worcester, Clark University, MA >950 Main Street Worcester, 12 noon >Laura Brown 508.756.4705 [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >**************************************************************** > >Open Letter To Starbucks > >Dear Howard Schultz, > >We, the undersigned organizations, represent a diverse group of >environmental and economic justice organizations, churches, unions, >consumer >groups, and others who are concerned about the trade issues in general and >the wages and living conditions of coffee farmers in particular. We are >writing to strongly urge that you purchase coffee that is Fair Trade >Certified. > >About half of all coffee worldwide is produced by small farmers. These >farmers own and farm their own small plots of land, but have little to no >control over the export system for their coffee. Free trade in the coffee >industry means farmers generally receive between $.30-50 per pound of >coffee >that retails for as much as $10-12 per pound in gourmet coffee markets, >including those of Starbucks. Small farmers working without the benefit of >an organized export cooperative are forced to sell to exploitative >middlemen >who generally pay them less than half of the export price. This export >price is based on the New York "C" Contract spot price and is usually >around >$1 per pound, but fluctuates wildly. > >Fair Trade seeks to correct these imbalances by setting a minimum price per >pound a living wage. This international Fair Trade price, $1.26 per >pound, is set by the Fair Trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) >which includes representatives of farmer cooperatives. When market prices >are below $1.26 per pound, as they have been for most of the last decade, >the farmers still get the minimum price - a living wage. Rather than >operating on a charity model, where donations are made based upon net >profits of a company, Fair Trade changes the entire business model to >include fair wages for workers as an integral part of the business >arrangement. > >TransFairUSA is the national monitor that certifies importers and roasters >here in the US. They are the US branch of the FLO, which includes monitors >from 17 different countries. The International Fair Trade Registry >certifies over 300 cooperatives in 20 different producer countries, >representing over 550,000 farmers worldwide. Fair Trade means health, >education, community development, and economic justice for farmers around >the world. > >In the post-WTO climate, more people are demanding that corporations pay >living wages to ALL who make their products, whether or not they are >directly employed by the company. After years of sweatshop exposes and >increased global labor struggles, most people in this country would rather >buy a product produced under fair trade conditions than sweatshop labor >conditions. Sweatshops can occur not only in the factory but also in the >field. > >According to recent consumer study, 78% percent of consumers would rather >purchase a product associated with a cause about which they believe, and >54% >say that they would pay more for a product that supports their cause. A >consumer study by TransFairUSA in 1997 revealed that 49% of specialty >coffee >drinkers surveyed said they would buy Fair Trade coffee. > >With regards to the treatment of coffee workers, a recent study by the >Commission for the Verification of Corporate Codes of Conduct, only half of >the workers on coffee plantations in Guatemala earn the minimum wage of >$3/day mandated by Guatemalan law. They found access to water, shelter, >and >education minimal; only 13% of children of plantation workers completed >primary education. Another recent investigation found cases of armed >repression of labor organizers seeking to improve wages for coffee >plantation workers. Building one clinic or a couple of schools are good >measures yet they do not address the basic need to pay workers a fair >wage, allow them to freely organize, and universally implement a Code of >Conduct that is independently monitored. Despite Starbucks attempts at >developing a Code of Conduct and pilot implementation in Guatemala, >conditions especially wages are not to acceptable levels for a company >that is growing at a rate of more than one new retail store a day. > >Fair Trade also addresses important environmental issues that are important >to consumers today. About 85% of Fair Trade Certified coffee is shade >grown >and either passive or certified organic. We believe that small farmers are >the best stewards of the land, using traditional farming techniques. >Paying >farmers a fair wage for their crops with incentives for ecological >practices >is the best way to encourage sustainable farming. > >Starbucks is the largest retailer of gourmet coffee in the country. Your >1999 Annual Report shows revenues of $1.7 billion and profits of $164 >million last year. Yet the farmers and workers who make you rich still earn >poverty wages. They have not benefited from the Œgourmet boom¹. > >We strongly urge Starbucks to offer consumers the choice to buy Fair Trade >Certified coffee (on an on-going basis) at every one of your over 2300 >stores nationwide, plus your other retail sites, including 500 schools. We >urge you to implement your Code of Conduct and have it independently >monitored to ensure that all the coffee workers who pick your beans earn a >living wage. > >Sincerely, > >Global Exchange >AFSCME District Council 36 >Aid Through Trade >Alliance for Democracy >Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and Environment >Association for Fair Trade with Cuba >As You Sow >Campaign for Labor Rights >Campus Labor Action Coalition >Center for Campus Organizing >Center for Economic and Policy Research >Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) >Change, Richard Stockton College of NJ >Cincinnati Zapatista Coalition >Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador, NY >Depauw University Russell J. Compton Peace and Justice Center >East Timor Action Network >Environmental Affairs Board, Associated Students, UCSB >EPICA >Fair Trade Resource Network >FarmCity Alliance >FarmFolk/CityFolk Society >Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) >Fresno County Green Party >Friends of the Earth >Global Marketplace >Global Sweatshop Coalition >Green Party of Rhode Island >Guatemala Human Rights Commission (USA) >Guatemala News and Information Bureau >Harvey Milk Democratic Club >Hawaii Sustainable Lifestyle Network >Hopedance Magazine >Human Rights Action Service >Institute for Agricultural and Trade Policy >Institute for Food and Development Policy: Food First >Institute Justice Team, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas >Interhemispheric Resource Center >International Alliance for People¹s Movements >International Forum on Globalization >International Law Students Association, CUNY >JustACT: Youth ACTion for Global JUSTice >Kitsap County Activists >Latin America Solidarity Committee Aotearoa/New Zealand >Made By Hand International Cooperative >Marin Center for Peace and Justice >Maryland United for Peace & Justice, Inc. >Mexico Solidarity Network >Missionaries of Africa >Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet >Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala >Nicaragua Center for Community Action >North Sumatera Peasant Union >Northwestern University Students for Ecological and Environmental >Development >Organic Consumer Associates >Pax Christi USA >Progressive Student Alliance, Cal Poly >Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch >Quebec Public Interest Research Group >Rainforest Action Network >Rainforest Relief >Redefining Progress >San Francisco Tenants Union >San Jose Peace Center >Save the Redwoods/Boycott the GAP >Site for Social Action >Saint Peter Damien Fraternity of the Secular Franciscan Order >Seattle Women Act for Peace >Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) >Student Alliance to Reform Corporations (STARC) >Students United for a Responsible Global Environment (SURGE) >Trade Aid New Zealand >Transnational Resource and Action Center >Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations > Washington Office for Faith in Action >United for a Fair Economy >United Students Against Sweatshops >United Students Against Sweatshops, SFSU >University of Wisconsin Madison Greens >U.S.A./Cuba Infomed >Washington Peace Council >Women¹s Edge >WUSC Global Justice Group at the University of Alberta >YES! Youth for Environmental Sanity > > >-- >Deborah James >Fair Trade Director >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >415.255.7296 ext.245 > >Global Exchange >415.255.7498 fax >2017 Mission Street >San Francisco, CA 94110 >www.globalexchange.org/economy/coffee __________ earthradioTV.com - Alternative News Portal for ecology, politics & consciousness. MIRROR SITES: USA http://www.earthradioTV.com/ CZECH http://mujweb.cz/www/ecologynews/ UK http://members.tripod.co.uk/ecologynews/ USA http://www.geocities.com/ecologynews/ USA http://www.freeyellow.com/members8/ecologynews/ Canada http://www.ecologynews.com/ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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