The next time you eat a burger, open the bun and take a look at the tomatoes. Ever wonder who picked them? Chances are, those tomatoes were picked by a farm worker in a state like Florida. It's hard work picking tomatoes, and many farm workers make very little money doing it.
That's where the Coalition of Immokalee Workers comes in. The CIW is an organization of farm workers. Most of them are Latino, Haitian, and Mayan immigrants working in low-wage jobs throughout the state of Florida. The CIW began in 1993 when a small group of workers met weekly in a room borrowed from a local church. They discussed how to make their community and their lives better. In just a short time CIW has managed to bring about some important changes.
CIW works to get fair pay and more respect from the bosses and the big farm companies they work for. They are also working for better and cheaper housing for farmworkers and their families. And they are trying to get stronger laws and better enforcement of laws when someone violates the workers' rights. CIW also wants the right to organize on their jobs without being afraid of being punished for it. Most of all, CIW works to end modern-day slavery in the fields.
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