This commentary is by Ashley Smith of Burlington, a member of Community Voices for Immigrant Rights, the Champlain Valley Democratic Socialists of America, and the Tempest Collective.
Migrant Justice scored a huge victory for workers’ rights when, after years of organizing, it convinced Ben & Jerry’s to join Milk with Dignity in 2017. The program ensures that companies pay for dairy products made in our region’s farms at rates high enough to guarantee fair wages, benefits and working conditions for migrant workers.
Over the last two years, Migrant Justice, farmworkers and solidarity activists have been campaigning to pressure Hannaford supermarkets to follow the precedent set by Ben & Jerry’s and join the program.
Hannaford, which is a subsidiary of the Dutch conglomerate Ahold Delhaize, has stores all over New England and New York. It relies on our region’s farms for many of its dairy products.
The corporation claims to respect human rights throughout its supply chain, provide fair wages and benefits, and fight poverty and hunger. In reality, Hannaford violates all these commitments when it comes to migrant farmworkers. Now is the time for Hannaford to end its hypocrisy and join Milk with Dignity.
Hannaford fails to respect human rights in its supply chain. Ahold Delhaize prides itself on being a champion of human rights. Its website claims, “We are committed to respecting the human rights of our associates, our customers, our communities and the people who work throughout our supply chains.”
As part of that declared commitment, Hannaford has joined the Open Disclosure Project. As part of that, it maintains a range of just practices from “carrying 100% sustainable seafood and achieving zero waste goals in our stores, to fighting hunger in our communities and supporting local farms.”
It also promises to care for the “well-being of the men and women who contribute to bringing seafood to our stores. From harvesting to processing and distribution, we are committed to ensuring ethical recruitment and conditions of labor.”
Hannaford boasts that it is “actively engaged in bringing together numerous stakeholders, NGOs, and other private-sector companies to collaboratively address unsatisfactory human welfare conditions, the most egregious being slavery at sea. We will not knowingly sell seafood from illegal, unreported, or unregulated sources.”
Why does Hannaford not work collaboratively with Migrant Justice to apply the same standards in its sourcing of dairy products from our region’s farms?
Migrant workers on dairy farms are subjected to unsafe working conditions, inadequate housing, low wages, blatant disregard for their health and well-being, and countless other violations of human and labor rights.
Yet, Hannaford denies migrant workers fair wages and benefits. Ahold Delhaize claims to follow U.N. Principles and guarantee “all human rights, which includes labor and employment rights, civil and political rights, economic, social, and cultural rights, and the rights of groups of individuals and vulnerable groups.”
Hannaford’s website boasts of its awards for “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyle,” claims to provide workers “fair and competitive pay, health insurance, and retirement policies,” and promises to “strive for inclusiveness.” That will be news to migrant workers on New England and New York’s dairy farms. Hannaford does not pay farmers enough to fulfill any of these promises.
As a result, migrant workers are excluded from all of Hannaford’s claims to provide fair wages and benefits. They make below the minimum wage, have no health insurance, and certainly do not enjoy retirement plans.
On its website, Hannaford touts its commitment to anti-poverty and health initiatives. It proclaims its commitment to hunger relief and stable access to healthy food, boasting about receiving a humanitarian award for supporting a Maine food bank.
It also publicizes its “Fuel Kids at School” initiative, which provided seed money to create food pantries at 90 schools. As it notes, “food is a basic need.” It is, however, a basic need that many dairy workers in Hannaford’s supply chain can barely manage.
Hannaford claims to support organizations promoting healthy lifestyles and “improved care” while basic sanitation, a healthy living environment, healthful food, and access to health care are far beyond reach of workers where Hannaford sources its dairy products.
Now is the time for Hannaford to uphold its supposed ideals and ensure human rights in its supply chain. Now is the time for it to fairly compensate farmers for their dairy products so that they can provide migrant workers with fair wages and benefits, as well as safe working and living conditions.
Hannaford, join Milk with Dignity now!
