For more than a year, the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) has called on Reynolds American to improve the conditions of tobacco harvesters in North Carolina and other areas of the South. FLOC has requested a meeting with Reynolds American CEO Susan Ivey to discuss the conditions of thousands of farm workers who harvest the tobacco used by the company to make its products, but she refuses to respond to FLOC’s request.

The tobacco field workers—primarily migrant workers from Mexico—are seeking to gain dignity, respect and safe working conditions through the recognition of FLOC, their union.

The workers harvesting tobacco used by Reynolds suffer hardships such as long hours of stoop labor in the fields, harassment in their work, abject poverty, miserable housing in their labor camps and the denial of basic labor and human rights protections.

Each year, thousands of field workers are affected by green tobacco sickness, caused by exposure to harmful chemicals found in tobacco leaves. Many of these workers receive little or no medical attention. The vast majority of farm workers in North Carolina are not covered under workers' compensation insurance.

The tobacco farm workers are not directly employed by Reynolds, but they work for growers who contract with the company. Reynolds sets the prices and standards and is ultimately responsible for the just compensation and safe working conditions of the tobacco workers. Ensuring just and safe working conditions for the field workers would be an expression of Reynolds’ commitment to being a socially responsible company and being committed to the common good of all Reynolds stakeholders, including the tobacco workers, their families and communities.

While big tobacco companies profit, farm workers who harvest the tobacco remain some of the most exploited workers in the country. Reynolds must take ultimate responsibility to ensure safe and fair working conditions for the thousands of tobacco harvesters in their supply chain.

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