Tnuva, the multinational kosher cheese giant, will receive an unexpected visit from a delegation of rabbis and community members concerned about the corporation's ethics along its supply chain. Tnuva, the world's leading producer of kosher cheeses, distributes its products in New York City through the Flaum Appetizing Corp., a business widely-shunned for unlawful labor practices and abuse of immigrant workers from Latin America. The delegation will be accompanied by a spirited rally.
For Immediate Release:
Focus on the Food Chain
Rabbi Delegation to Call on Leading Kosher Cheese Co. to Respect Rights of Immigrant Workers
New York, NY- Tnuva, the multinational kosher cheese giant, will receive an unexpected visit from a delegation of rabbis and community members concerned about the corporation's ethics along its supply chain. Tnuva, the world's leading producer of kosher cheeses, distributes its products in New York City through the Flaum Appetizing Corp., a business widely-shunned for unlawful labor practices and abuse of immigrant workers from Latin America. The delegation, which will be accompanied by a spirited rally, will take place on Tuesday August, 2nd at 1:30pm. The event will take place at the office of Tnuva's owner, the private equity firm Apax Partners, at 601 Lexington Ave. in Manhattan.
What:
Tnuva, a hugely profitable and famed kosher cheese brand, is using the Flaum Appetizing sweatshop to pack and deliver its products to New York supermarkets and grocery stores. Tnuva has failed to engage in meaningful dialogue with a group of a dozen prominent rabbis who have asked the company to demonstrate respect for ethics in its supply chain. Rabbi delegates will escalate their call for justice by showing up in person, along with worker and community supporters, to ensure their voice is heard by Tnuva and its owner, Apax Partners.
Who:
Prominent rabbis, workers, and community members will be escalating their call for Tnuva to support the immigrant workers at its distributor, Flaum Appetizing, a company found to have egregiously violated workers' rights.
When:
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 1:30 pm.
Where:
601 Lexington Ave. in Manhattan. The office of Tnuva owner, Apax Partners.
Why:
Flaum, a Brooklyn-based kosher food processing and distribution facility, engaged in massive wage theft against its Latino employees and fired seventeen when they stood up for their rights. A National Labor Relations Board judge found that Flaum engaged in extensive law-breaking but the company has refused for over two years to comply with the court order. Over sixty leading supermarkets and grocery store locations have stopped selling Flaum's products until the company comports itself with the rule of law. However, Tnuva refuses to use its substantial influence with Flaum to promote respect for worker and immigrant rights.
The rally is being organized by Uri L'Tzedek, an Orthodox social justice organization and Focus on the Food Chain, a campaign challenging and overcoming sweatshop conditions in New York City's food processing and distribution warehouses. The Focus campaign is a joint effort of non-profit Brandworkers and the NYC Industrial Workers of the World labor union.