Hundreds of farmworkers and their supporters rallied Monday night outside the Manhattan offices of Wendy’s board chairman Nelson Peltz to protest sexual harassment, assault and violence in the tomato fields. The Coalition of Immokalee Workers are demanding Wendy’s sign on to the “Fair Food Program,” aimed at protecting farmworkers’ rights, including the right to work without sexual harassment and assault, which has been pervasive in the agricultural industry. This is farmworker Lupe Gonzalo.

Lupe Gonzalo: We’re demanding that Wendy’s sign an agreement to guarantee human rights for farmworkers, and, in particular, the rights of women working in the fields. For the first time in history, we, as farmworker women, are living a new day: an opportunity to work in the fields free from sexual harassment. But Wendy’s, instead of joining the Fair Food Program to eliminate sexual harassment and violence against women in the fields, has decided to move its tomato purchases to Mexico, where this violence is endemic.”