While some students are losing sleep this week in order to study
and get better grades, others are fasting in an attempt to better
the lives of others.
With coordination from the Student Worker Front, students
started fasting Wednesday in protest of the university’s
decision to keep Taco Bell on campus, joining other students around
the country in voicing their disapproval of the restaurant’s
labor practices.
The Associated Students of UCLA’s board of directors voted
on May 21 to extend Taco Bell’s tenure, but resolved not to
enter into any “long-term contracts” with the
restaurant.
The fast food giant’s future at UCLA had been uncertain
after the university received complaints that the
restaurant’s tomato suppliers in Florida were victims of
unfair labor practices.
“There’s no reason why Taco Bell can’t ensure
human rights in the field,” said Christina Kaoh, a volunteer
with the Student Worker Front.
Kaoh, who fasted Wednesday, said ASUCLA’s decision is
“just telling Taco Bell that it’s acceptable to allow
exploitation of workers.”
The protesters make UCLA the seventh university in the country
to have students participating in fasts to remove campus Taco
Bells. Students at the other schools, including the University of
Florida, Notre Dame and Central Michigan University, started
holding fasts months ago.
Kaoh said UCLA students had not fasted until now because they
had been happy with the direction
ASUCLA was going with the issue.
“We feel that ASUCLA has been sincere in understanding our
concerns,” Kaoh said, but added she believes ASUCLA has a
“social responsibility” which includes ending Taco
Bell’s contract.
Forty-one students will be participating in “rolling
fasts,” which means a few people each day will trade-off
fasting until Wednesday of finals week.
Kaoh said she expects more students to join the fasts as they
become aware of the action.
“I’ve been really excited for how supportive people
have been,” Kaoh said, but holding the fasts during 10th week
is an issue.
“It is 10th week and everyone needs all the energy we can
get.”
The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a group advocating on behalf
of the farm workers, recently boycotted Taco Bell for its practices
and called for the restaurant’s removal from campus.
But just a day before ASUCLA’s decision, Taco Bell
representatives made an announcement that apparently changed the
board members’ minds.
David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands ““ Taco Bell’s parent
company ““ said the company would be
willing to pursue an “industry-wide solution” if the
coalition agreed to end its boycott.
Novak said Yum! would be willing to implement a one-cent
surcharge for purchasers on every bucket of tomatoes if other
companies agreed to do the same.
Numerous organizations, including the CIW, the Presbyterian
Church and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights spoke out
against Yum!’s offer.
Former President Jimmy Carter said in a statement that
Novak’s
presentation “cannot be considered a serious
proposal” and was a “lost opportunity … to take the
lead in eliminating human rights abuses.”
Brigitte Gynther, a volunteer with the CIW, said she was
disappointed that ASUCLA didn’t ask the coalition about
Yum!’s proposal before making a decision.
“I would imagine there would be a look at the other side
or a look at the reaction to the offer from the CIW,” Gynther
said. “We weren’t asked for any kind of
reaction.”