The Amy’s Kitchen boycott has ended successfully, achieving major improvements in worker safety, wages, and benefits.
The Food Empowerment Project (FEP), a vegan food justice organization, just announced the end of the Amy’s Kitchen boycott. This boycott, initiated in January 2022 by Amy’s Kitchen workers and FEP, sought to improve workplace safety, increase wages, and enhance health insurance.
Positive Changes Achieved
Cecilia Luna Ojeda, a 20-year Amy’s Kitchen employee, shared, “Working to improve working conditions and increase wages for all Amy's Kitchen workers has had a great impact. With the help and support of Food Empowerment Project, we've seen safety improvements, and we hope these changes will remain and keep improving. Thank you to Food Empowerment Project for their patience, commitment, and dedication to the workers since the beginning of the campaign. And thank you to Amy's Kitchen for listening to us.”
During the boycott, hundreds of supporters, including vegan advocates, labor organizations, and grocery cooperatives, joined forces to demand better conditions for Amy’s workers. Their efforts paid off after eight months of negotiations between Amy’s Kitchen workers in Santa Rosa, FEP representatives, and Amy’s executives. The company agreed to improve conditions not only in Santa Rosa but also acknowledged those affected by the sudden closure of the San José facility.
Courtesy of Amy's Kitchen
Amy’s Kitchen’s Commitment
Paul Schiefer, President of Amy’s Kitchen, said, “Over the past eight months of collaboration with the Food Empowerment Project, Amy’s is pleased with the learnings and progress we’ve made together. This collaboration has facilitated productive discussions about how we can better meet our workers’ needs and enhance our communication. We look forward to continuing this positive dialogue and making meaningful improvements for our workforce.”
Schiefer also addressed the closure of the San José plant, acknowledging the hardship it caused employees: “While the circumstances that led to the closing of our San José plant two years after opening were challenging, we deeply regret any disruption and pain it caused in the lives of our valued employees. This was a difficult decision in response to a challenging economic climate following the pandemic. We have learned valuable lessons from this experience and are committed to improvement going forward.”
Concrete Agreements
Amy’s Kitchen has committed to several significant changes:
- No future use of labor relations consultants.
- Bilingual employee service representatives at each plant.
- Regular safety risk assessments and a zero-accident goal.
- A 3% merit increase budget for employees in 2024 with a fair review process.
- Enhanced 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 assess wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments.
Ongoing Support and Future Plans
Janet Barcenas, a 30-year employee, emphasized the impact of the partnership, stating, “Food Empowerment Project has supported us from the beginning until now. Because of our partnership, our truths were heard and we came to an agreement for a better future for each of our working families. We see the changes, and we’re confident that they will keep improving.”
Amy’s Kitchen has also pledged to increase its production of vegan foods, aligning with FEP’s mission for a just and sustainable food system.
Courtesy of Amy's Kitchen
Acknowledgments and Appreciation
FEP extends deep gratitude to Unite Here! Local 19, Tho Do, Teamsters 665, and California Assemblymember Ash Kalra for their invaluable support.
lauren Ornelas, FEP founder, praised the resilience of Amy’s Kitchen workers, sharing, “We have such a deep admiration for the line workers at Amy’s Kitchen who spoke their truth to the executives at the company and never wavered and who constantly advocated for their fellow workers who were not at the table. This journey has once again taught us the power of the workers and community when we stand together to make our food system more just and compassionate as we work toward a more sustainable food system for all.”
The end of the Amy’s Kitchen boycott marks a significant victory for workers and food justice advocates, showcasing the strength of solidarity and persistent advocacy.
For more information about the Food Empowerment Project, visit FoodIsPower.org.
