Petitions on slave-like coffee worker conditions could get Starbucks into trouble

ISTANBUL

Two organizations' move against the slave-like conditions of coffee workers in Brazil may cause difficulties for coffee and fast-food giants Starbucks, Nestle, JDE, Dunkin’, Illy, and McDonald’s.

International Rights Advocates (IRAdvocates) and the nonprofit watchdog organization Coffee Watch filed petitions on behalf of Brazilian farmworkers in the US District Court of Washington against the coffee giant, claiming that workers face harsh working conditions, as shown in Coffee Watch’s statement on Thursday.

Coffee Watch requested that the US government prohibit imports of coffee tainted by slavery and forced labor from Brazil by major importers such as Starbucks, Nestle, JDE, Dunkin' Donuts, Illy, and McDonald's.

"The petition could end slavery-tainted coffee imports to the U.S. from Brazil, a decision that would have significant consequences for Starbucks: the company relies heavily on coffee from Latin America, especially as escalating trade wars threaten Asian coffee supply chains," Coffee Watch stated.

Etelle Higonnet, Coffee Watch founder and director, said: "The coffee industry, led by Starbucks, has slaves working in its supply chain right this minute, and we must stop this abuse starting in Brazil, as the world’s top coffee producer."

"We’re talking about a multi-billion-dollar coffee industry and giant corporations like Starbucks that have failed to ensure their supply chains are free of horrific human rights abuses. Starbucks must take action."

Terry Collingsworth, the founder of IRAdvocates and the plaintiffs' attorney, also noted that slavery was abolished in the US in 1865 and in Brazil in 1888, but Starbucks' coffee production in Brazil continues to be based on a system of trafficking and slavery.

He added: "Consumers are paying obscene amounts for a cup of Starbucks coffee that was harvested by trafficked slaves.

"It is time to hold Starbucks accountable for profiting from human trafficking."