The May 24 news A-headline read “Taco Bell to stay on
campus.” While this is true, it hides the real reasoning
behind the recent decision by the students’ association board
of directors.
On May 21 the board of directors voted to keep Taco Bell on a
probationary status that would allow it to monitor closely the
situation in the Immokalee region of Florida. The resolution that
was passed at the same time acknowledged the board’s position
that we were not condoning Taco Bell’s actions but rather
that we felt there was some room for leeway in our decision.
There are multiple reasons for the board’s action.
On May 20 Taco Bell held a shareholders meeting wherein they
released a statement regarding the issue. While the statement
requests that the Coalition of Immokalee Workers stop the boycott,
such action is unlikely. The board understands this and believes
the coalition should not be required to end the boycott so
easily.
The board was also notified by Taco Bell that talks between Taco
Bell and the coalition have been ongoing. The content of these
meetings has been held confidential upon an agreement by both
parties.
Taco Bell has chosen to push for an industry-wide solution, an
effort it is willing to lead. Taco Bell has also told us that it is
already making plans to set aside money into an escrow account in
anticipation of the resolution.
The board of directors considered all this information when it
made a decision, which on the surface may seem contradictory to
past board actions but is not. The main reason we made the decision
to keep Taco Bell on campus in December was to give us leverage for
negotiating a resolution. This plan of action is working as the
UCLA Taco Bell issue came up at the Taco Bell shareholders meeting
on May 20.
While we acknowledge that Taco Bell did not comply with our
requests that we gave in December, these were requests only and not
an agreement. We have been told that Taco Bell has worked toward
fulfilling our requests but were unable to release information due
to the confidentiality agreement between Taco Bell and the
coalition.
After much discussion, the board decided not to remove Taco Bell
but to continue with Taco Bell on what effectively will be a
limited basis. The executive director has been instructed not to
enter into a long-term contract but to seek a month-to-month
contract or a short-term contract with a “˜30-day out
clause,’ which would give the board the ability to end the
contract when necessary.
The board is very cautious with these actions and will continue
to monitor the issue monthly. If at anytime Taco Bell appears not
to be proceeding toward a good faith solution, the board will
discuss termination of the contract. By keeping Taco Bell on
campus, the board can continue to play a role in pushing Taco Bell
to a final resolution of this issue.
On May 21 the board of directors passed a resolution that reads
that only once Taco Bell has demonstrated compliance with an
investigation or complete resolution of the issue will ASUCLA
consider entering into a long-term contract. A copy of this
resolution can be obtained in the ASUCLA executive director’s
office in 340 Kerckhoff Hall.
It is this wording that ensures that the board will continue
looking into this issue until Taco Bell resolves the issue. If
nothing happens within a few months, the board will be revisiting
the issue and is prepared not to renew the contract.
Harless is the Chair of the ASUCLA Board of
Directors.