Fair Food Standards Council

The Leading Edge of Human Rights in Agriculture

Investigator/Monitor Position

TheFair Food Standards Council (FFSC) is a unique organization emergingfrom the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' (CIW) successful campaign to affirmthe human rights of tomato workers and improve the conditions underwhich they labor.The FFSC will overseeimplementation of a new FairFood Program driven by worker participation, which consists of atomato worker wage increase supported by a price premium paid bycorporate purchasers of Florida tomatoes, and a human-rights-basedCode of Conduct that will beapplicable throughout the Florida tomatoindustry.The price premium and the Code, which were developed bytomato workers, growers and corporate buyers, form the foundation fora new model of social accountability.
TheCode establishes worker health and safety committees,worker-to-worker education about rights under the Code, and anindependent complaint resolution mechanism triggered by the workersthemselves.The FFSC will be located in Sarasota, Florida, and havestatewide responsibility.It will field and resolve workercomplaints, and help develop corrective action plans as necessary.It will also monitor compliance with the price premiumprovisions of the Fair Food Program and with the Code of Conduct.
TheFair Food Standards Council is now seeking to hire severalinvestigators/monitors, to start no later than October 1, 2011. Working as a team with the ExecutiveDirector and staff attorneys, each investigator/monitor will play a key role in the investigation and resolution ofcomplaints, in the design of corrective action plans, and in the implementation and auditing process.
Specificresponsibilities include:

  • Receiving, recording and investigating complaints from workers, including all necessary interviews, record reviews, and witness and evidence development
  • Monitoring a workforce spanning the state of Florida, involving thousands ofworkers
  • Conductingoutreach visits to fields and worksites, including during evening andweekend hours as necessary
  • Interacting with concerned parties, including workers, management, law enforcement
  • Participating fully in the development and monitoring of corrective action plans
  • Maintaining detailed incident reports
  • Collaborating with Coalition of Immokalee Workers on complaint referral
  • Workingin close collaboration with other Fair Food Program participants to develop, refineand implement Fair Food Program protocols
  • Workingwith foundations and other potential funders to ensure the ongoingviability of the FFSC

Qualifications/Experience

  • Experiencein human rights, workers’ rights or some other field of socialchange that provides demonstrable evidence of a commitment to theprinciples underlying the Fair Food Program
  • Willingnessto work long and/or irregular hours
  • Comfortworking in rural areas
  • Experienceworking with immigrant populations in the United States orrural/agricultural populations elsewhere
  • Self-disciplineand self-initiative
  • Flexibility to interact well with people of differentnationalities, languages, gender, and education levels
  • Abilityto connect facts and discern patterns
  • Valid drivers’license

Knowledge

  • Familiaritywith human rights or other relevant social justice issues
  • Proficiencyin Spanish required

Skills/Abilities

  • Strong communication, writing and interpersonal skills
  • Abilityto work outside of office on site in labor camps or farms
  • Willingness to undertake a wide range of responsibilities and “do what is necessary”
  • Abilityto work collaboratively as well as independently

Salaryand Benefitswill becompetitive within the non-profit sector.
Applicantsshould send a resume or CV and a cover letter indicating interest inthe positionbyemail onlytoGreg Asbed by August 15, 2011.The subject line of the email should read FFSC Investigator Position.Applications will be accepted untilthe positions arefilled.
TheFair Food Standards Council is an equal opportunity employercommitted to developing a work force that reflects and can relateeasily to the diverse populations involved in the Fair Food Program.