The Food Empowerment Project (FEP), a vegan food justice organization, has announced the end of its boycott of Amy's Kitchen, which was launched in January 2022 by Amy's Kitchen workers and FEP to seek improved workplace safety, higher wages, and better health insurance.
Positive changes achieved
Cecilia Luna Ojeda, who has worked at Amy's Kitchen for 20 years, said, “Our efforts to improve working conditions and raise wages for all employees at Amy's Kitchen have had a huge impact. With the help and support of the Food Empowerment Project, we have seen improved safety and we hope that the changes will continue and continue to improve. We thank the Food Empowerment Project for their patience and dedication to their employees since the campaign began, and we also thank Amy's Kitchen for listening to our voices.”
During the boycott, hundreds of supporters, including vegan advocates, labor unions, and grocery cooperatives, joined forces to demand better treatment for Amy's employees. After eight months of negotiations with Amy's Kitchen employees in Santa Rosa, FEP representatives, and Amy's executives, their efforts paid off. Not only did the company agree to improve conditions in Santa Rosa, it also acknowledged consideration for those affected by the sudden closure of the San Jose plant.
Courtesy of Amy's Kitchen
Amy's Kitchen Initiatives
“Through our collaboration with Food Empowerment Project over the past eight months, Amy's is pleased with the progress we've made together and that we've learned together. This collaboration has fostered productive discussions about how we can better serve our employees' needs and enhance communication. We look forward to continuing this positive dialogue and making meaningful improvements for our employees,” said Paul Schieffer, president of Amy's Kitchen.
Schieffer also addressed the closure of the San Jose facility, acknowledging the hardship it has caused employees: “The circumstances that led to the closure of our San Jose facility two years after it opened were tough, but we deeply regret any disruption and hardship it has caused our valued employees in their lives. This was a difficult decision in response to challenging economic conditions following the pandemic. We have learned valuable lessons from this experience and are committed to making improvements going forward.”
Specific agreements
Amy's Kitchen is working on some significant changes.
- I will no longer use labor relations consultants.
- We have bilingual employee service representatives at each plant.
- Regular safety risk assessments and zero accidents goal.
- We will budget a 3% pay increase for employees in 2024 after a fair review process.
- Improved employee communication and support.
FEP will continue to monitor the situation to ensure these changes are permanent and effective. They plan to revisit in a year to evaluate wage increases and cost of living adjustments.
Ongoing support and future plans
Jeanette Bárcenas, who has worked there for 30 years, highlighted the impact of the partnership, saying, “The Food Empowerment Project has supported us from the beginning until now. Thanks to the partnership, our truth was heard and we were able to agree on a better future for each working family. We have seen change and I am convinced that improvements will continue in the future.”
Amy's Kitchen has also committed to increasing its production of vegan foods, in line with FEP's mission for a just and sustainable food system.
Courtesy of Amy's Kitchen
Acknowledgements and gratitude
FEP is extremely grateful to Unite Here! Local 19, Tho Do, Teamsters 665, and California Assemblyman Ash Kalra for their generous support.
FEP Founder Lauren Ornelas praised Amy's Kitchen employees for their resilience, saying, “We have so much respect for the frontline workers at Amy's Kitchen who spoke truth to company leadership, never wavered, and always advocated for their fellow employees who didn't have a seat at the table. This journey has once again shown us the power of our employees and communities when we come together to create a more just, compassionate food system and work toward a more sustainable food system for all.”
The end of the Amy's Kitchen boycott is a major victory for workers and food justice advocates and shows the strength of unity and tenacious advocacy.
For more information about the Food Empowerment Project, visit FoodIsPower.org.
