On a day globally recognized for honoring the contributions of the labor force, hundreds of demonstrators will take to the streets of Coral Gables on Friday for the first-ever "March for Planting Justice."
Organized by the Miami-based human rights group WeCount!, the May Day event will bring together a coalition of plant nursery workers, labor and faith leaders, and local community members.
“This International Workers’ Day, we are calling on multi-billion dollar brands like Trader Joe’s, ALDI, Home Depot, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Target to take action and protect the plant nursery workers who grow and cultivate the houseplants sold in their stores,” said Oscar Londoño, Co-Executive Director of WeCount!.
Activists worldwide will march in May Day rallies Friday, calling for peace, higher wages and better working conditions as many workers grapple with rising energy costs and shrinking purchasing power tied to the Iran war. To find a march in South Florida, visit https://maydaystrong.org/
“Houseplants are a $50 billion dollar industry, yet the immigrant workers who grow these plants in South Florida’s nurseries are facing poverty wages and dangerous working conditions," Londoño said.
"We’re marching directly to the doorsteps of these corporations on May Day to deliver a clear message: Plant nursery workers deserve fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect," he said.
The activists and their supporters plan to hold a press conference on Friday afternoon at Lola B. Walker Pioneers’ Park before marching through the city to demand systemic changes within Florida’s multi-billion-dollar ornamental plant industry.
READ MORE: What to know about May Day demonstrations as workers face rising energy costs due to Iran war
According to WeCount! organizers, the event is designed to "call attention to labor abuses in Florida’s plant nursery industry," many of which were documented in the organization’s "Human Cost of Houseplants Report."
Florida, according to WeCount!, is the "national epicenter of the houseplant industry," noting that nearly 70% of the country’s indoor foliage is grown and produced within the state.
The "March for Planting Justice" specifically targets the lack of oversight and protections for those working in extreme environments, highlighting the disparity between the beauty of Florida’s nursery exports and the grueling conditions of those who grow them, says WeCount!
Organizers said the march is a call to action for "national corporate retailers to guarantee fair wages, safer working conditions, and heat protections."
WeCount! workers hope the march will bridge the gap between the invisible labor of the fields and the corporate interests they say profit from their work.
