Tobacco Workers & Supporters Demand Action by Reynolds

"Reynolds, we're in the house!" chanted demonstrators Friday as they delivered petitions with over 20,000 signatures to the tobacco's company's DC offices on F Street. The petitions -- gathered by the AFL-CIO and the International Labor Rights Forum -- called on Reynolds -- the largest tobacco company in North Carolina -- to sign an agreement with FLOC to guarantee collective bargaining rights for workers in its supply chain so they can negotiate fair wages, decent housing, and safe work conditions in the fields. Workers have described years of grueling work in deplorable conditions, for low wages with no overtime, and having to live in overcrowded, poor-quality housing.  In addition, Human Rights Watch has identified wide-spread presence of child labor in the tobacco supply chain. "We'll be back until farmworkers get justice!" the demonstrators promised after they delivered the petitions. photo: FLOC President Baldemar Velasquez heads up petition delivery; photo courtesy AFL-CIO Twitter feed

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