Board to decide fate of Taco Bell
Committee recommends termination of contract
The Associated Students of UCLA Services Committee echoed the sentiment of a previous resolution during a meeting Friday in urging that the university’s contract with Taco Bell should be terminated.
Representatives voted to recommend to the ASUCLA board of directors not to renew the contract with Taco Bell until accusations of labor violations against the food chain are resolved. The current contract ends Oct. 31.
The final decision on the contract now rests in the hands of the board of directors, which will meet on Oct. 29.
In May, the board went against a similar resolution passed by the Services Committee by allowing Taco Bell to stay on campus on a probationary contract.
The issue of Taco Bell’s presence on the UCLA campus first came up over a year ago and resulted in an ASUCLA resolution which asked Taco Bell to provide a report on labor abuse allegations presented against it by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which represents tomato pickers in Florida.
A campaign launched by the CIW called on Taco Bell to press its tomato suppliers to pay better wages and correct alleged human rights violations. It has been supported by organizations such as the Social Justice Alliance at UCLA and the UC Students Association.
Taco Bell never submitted the report, but promised to press for an industry-wide change as well as help in lobbying for labor laws in Florida. This announcement may have influenced ASUCLA board of director’s decision to keep the eatery on campus in May.
During Friday’s meeting, discussion centered on whether UCLA has enough leverage to influence Taco Bell. Some representatives claimed that by keeping the eatery on campus, the university will have a better chance of impacting its actions.
Others said removing the restaurant would be a media fiasco for the company, which would have more impact.
“Our objective should be to send a message of our commitment to social responsibility,” said Emmanuel Martinez, chair of the Services Committee, during the meeting.
Members of the Social Justice Alliance responded favorably to the resolution.
“They could have recommended that the board renew the contract in the worst case scenario, or wholeheartedly decide that it should not be renewed,” Michael Garner of the SJA said, adding the committee did neither.
Those involved in the campaign against the eatery believe students still support it.
“People still care,” said Christina Kaoh of the SJA. But she said there is no information on how many are actually boycotting it.
UCLA is only one of a number of institutions that has been involved in the Taco Bell controversy.
The University of Notre Dame recently decided not to renew the sponsorship agreement that its athletic department had with Taco Bell. In April, students at the University of Florida participated in hunger strikes and fasts as part of the boycott.


