Tomato Justice (1)

The Sojourners organisation is leading a campaign to persuade McDonalds to pay a higher price for tomatoes grown in Florida. They claim that this is an issue of human rights and justice.

Farm workers who pick tomatoes for McDonald's sandwiches earn 40 to 50 cents for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes they pick. Workers who toil from dawn to dusk without the right to overtime pay or any benefits must pick two tons of tomatoes to earn $50 in one day. As a major buyer of Florida tomatoes, McDonald's high-volume, low-cost purchasing practices place downward pressure on farm worker wages, putting corporate profits before human dignity.

The Bible teaches God's command that society be organized so that all
members have genuine access to the resources needed to live a decent life and provide for their families. As Christians, we stand with these workers in witnessing against unjust corporate practices that undermine human dignity and chip away at the common good. Please take action today to encourage McDonald's to change these deplorable conditions. (Fair Wages for Farm Workers)

That statement that “society should be organized so that all members have genuine access to the resources needed to live a decent life and provide for their families” is a bit odd. Nevertheless, this sounds like a good cause for Christians. However, before sitting in judgement on McDonalds, should unpack the problem a little.

McDonalds contracts tomato growers to supply tomatoes. The tomato growers employ pickers to pick tomatoes. There are probably other intermediaries in the process, but I will keep it simple for the sake of argument.

The first step in resolving this problem is to decide whether justice or mercy is required. Justice has a judicial context. It corrects injustice. An injustice occurs when a person or group of people are harmed as consequence of someone breaking one of God’s laws. For example, if someone steals my cow an injustice has been done. The biblical solution to that injustice is for the thief to make restitution to their victim. Restitution restores justice.

In the same way, if multinational company takes native lands without payment or permission, a theft has occurred. This crime breaks God’s law, so it is an injustice. Justice can only be achieved by the restitution of the land or equivalent financial compensation. Christians should be calling for justice in every situation where an injustice has occurred.

However, there are many other situations where a person or group of people are in dire circumstances through the circumstances of life. They may have made some mistakes or experienced an accident, but no injustice has occurred. These situations require compassion and mercy, not justice. There is no injustice to put right, because none of God’s laws has been broken. However, there is plenty of room for mercy, because Christians should always be assisting those in need.

I will apply this to the Tomato case tomorrow.

The complete series is here.