Disclaimer: This is a PETITION, not the actual resolution. We want your support for a STRONG RESOLUTION that champions HUMAN RIGHTS! WHEREAS, all food service available on campus is contracted through the Aramark corporation, including the on-campus dining facilities at which students use their meal plans; and, WHEREAS, Aramark currently purchases copious amounts of tomatoes, 90%-95% of which come from Florida during the winter, and supplies them to Florida Gulf Coast University in on-campus dining facilities; and, WHEREAS, Aramark "strive[s] to offer clients and customers fresh whole foods that are raised, grown, harvested, and produced locally and in a sustainable manner whenever possible... [and] with the utmost integrity and according to the highest ethical standards;" and, WHEREAS, today Florida tomato pickers in Immokalee make an average of $0.45 cents per 32-lb bucket of tomatoes, and must pick nearly 2.5 tons of tomatoes to earn minimum wage for a 10-hour day; and, WHEREAS, seven slavery cases brought against overseers, managers, and employers involving over 1,000 farmworkers in FL have been prosecuted and successfully convicted since 1997, the most recent of which occurred about a year ago in Immokalee, FL; and, WHEREAS, these conditions are also in complete opposition to Florida Gulf Coast University's mission, which states, "Florida Gulf Coast University continuously pursues academic excellence, practices and promotes environmental sustainability, embraces diversity, nurtures community partnerships, values public service, encourages civic responsibility, cultivates habits of lifelong learning, and keeps the advancement of knowledge and pursuit of truth as noble ideals at the heart of the university’s purpose;" and, WHEREAS, Florida Gulf Coast University must pursue these goals in all contracts and hold the contractors accountable for compliance with this vision; and, WHEREAS, a current national campaign being waged by the CIW and Student Farmworker Alliance (“SFA”) is requesting that corporations who purchase tomatoes from Florida, like Aramark, negotiate a $0.01 increase for every pound of tomatoes they purchase to be passed on directly as a wage increase for tomato pickers; and, WHEREAS, the CIW and SFA campaign is requesting that corporations like Aramark be involved in the process of implementing this pay increase to assure that it is done fairly; and, WHEREAS, the CIW represents the interest of Florida’s tomato pickers and has negotiated successfully with Subway, Burger King, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Whole Foods and Bon Appetit to improve wages and working conditions in these companies' tomato supply chains; and, WHEREAS, COMPASS Group, a food-service provider equivalent to Aramark, has already agreed to cooperate with the CIW; and, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Florida Gulf Coast University Student Body urges Aramark and the CIW to engage in meaningful dialogue negotiating terms for directly improving Florida tomato pickers' wages by $.01 per pound of tomatoes, and, together with the CIW, implement an enforceable, human rights-based Code of Conduct for its tomato supply chain; and, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, Florida Gulf Coast University Student Body requests the leadership of the entire Florida Gulf Coast University join University of Florida in bringing national attention to this issue; and, THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees; the Center for Environmental and Sustainability Education; Florida Gulf Coast University Food Service Committee; the Office of the President of Florida Gulf Coast University; the University of Florida Aramark Corporate Office; the CIW; and the SFA.

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