The only Immokalee tomatoes served on campus appear to be from
Associated Students of UCLA eateries themselves.
During any given year, UCLA almost certainly receives tomatoes
from the same controversial Florida region as Taco Bell ““ the
eatery ASUCLA forced off campus just two weeks ago.
While the national Taco Bell chain likely uses these tomatoes,
their former campus eatery did not.
Bob Williams, interim executive director of ASUCLA, was honest
when he admitted seeing a box of ASUCLA-destined tomatoes marked as
if they came from the Immokalee region.
But being honest about the tomato sighting is only the first
step.
Back in 2003 student activists and the ASUCLA board of directors
demanded that Taco Bell commission a third-party report on alleged
labor abuses in the Immokalee region of Florida.
When Taco Bell failed to produce the report, the board of
directors voted to remove the restaurant from campus. Their
decision showed social responsibility and resolve on the part of
ASUCLA. But it was also a decision ASUCLA made after knowing that
it too probably received Immokalee tomatoes.
Considering the Oct. 22 report that ASUCLA itself probably
purchases Immokalee tomatoes, the board of directors must not stop
with their ejection of Taco Bell.
A full review of the situation should be undertaken, and ASUCLA
should investigate both the allegations of labor abuse and the
possibility of switching to a tomato distributor who can guarantee
the status of its tomatoes.
The activists who began the anti-Taco Bell movement have said
that they do not expect and will not fight for ASUCLA to change its
distributor, citing the limited buying power ASUCLA has compared to
Taco Bell. But it would be hypocritical and inconsistent to remove
Taco Bell and then ignore ASUCLA’s own responsibility.
It does not make sense to take a stand against Taco Bell and
then say that changing ASUCLA buying practices would be too hard or
result in tomato pickers losing their jobs, as one activist
suggested.
The leadership of ASUCLA must ask itself what its real
motivations were when it removed Taco Bell in the first place. If
it was serious about taking a principled stand against labor abuse
it should follow though when it comes to its own tomatoes.
A complete review may indicate that UCLA does not in fact
receive significant amounts of Immokalee tomatoes, or alternative
sources may be identified.
Since ASUCLA gets most of its tomatoes from non-Florida sources,
it does not seem unrealistic to find a way to make sure all of them
come from acceptable sources.
The bottom line is that ASUCLA was right to hold Taco Bell to
high standards ““ and it was right to kick the company off
when it ignored its compromise with ASUCLA. But ASUCLA should also
look at its own actions ““ and no one should underestimate the
potential it has to improve working conditions. If ASUCLA
investigates the tomato fields and determines it should switch
providers, that would send a more powerful message.