Episode 131: Lauren Ornelas on Why Amy’s Kitchen Workers Are Organizing

The Checkout speaks with food justice activist lauren Ornelas on the campaign to support workers at Amy’s Kitchen, a popular vegetarian food company based in California. lauren has been a longtime animal rights, plant-based foods and social justice activist and has a unique perspective on ethical food systems.

Amy’s Kitchen has recently announced the closure of a facility in San Jose that has been a site of worker organizing due to injuries and unsafe working conditions. The closure will result in 300 layoffs and workers are shocked at the closure. Companies such as Chipotle and Starbucks have also been closing facilities with active organizing drives, sacrificing jobs so they do not have to negotiate with union organizers over pay and working conditions.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/04/13/amys-kitchen-boycott-worker-mistreatment/

https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/amys-closes-san-jose-plant-17312837.php

From https://foodispower.org : Food Empowerment Project seeks to create a more just and sustainable world by recognizing the power of one’s food choices. We encourage healthy food choices that reflect a more compassionate society by spotlighting the abuse of animals on farms, the depletion of natural resources, unfair working conditions for produce workers, and the unavailability of healthy foods in low-income areas. By making informed choices, we can prevent injustices against animals, people, and the environment. We also work to discourage negligent corporations from pushing unhealthy foods into low-income areas and empower people to make healthier choices by growing their own fruits and vegetables. In all of our work, Food Empowerment Project seeks specifically to empower those with the fewest resources.

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