Some graduate students want the University to drop plans to bring Taco Bell to the Moravian Cafes citing concerns over unfair labor practices, according to a resolution passed last night.
Penn officials are in the process of deciding which food vendors would perform best in the three open spots in the 3401 Walnut St. food court, and have been seriously considering a contract with the fast food restaurant.
According the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly, "Taco Bell's purchasing practices foster the exploitation of laborers working for its tomato suppliers."
The resolution, titled "No Quiero Taco Bell," passed 14-1, with 8 members abstaining.
Yum! Brands -- the parent company of Taco Bell -- pays the tomato pickers "sub-poverty wages," said GAPSA member Russ Tisinger.
The Annenberg School for Communication student believes that Taco Bell has "the power to end this problem overnight," given its influence as a large tomato purchaser.
But GAPSA member George Leslie, who cast the lone dissenting vote, called the resolution "unnecessary."
"From what I gather, it's not bad work. It's being mischaracterised," the School of Medicine doctoral student said, adding that he believes the workers earn about $9 an hour.
"For an uneducated, unskilled worker, $9 is fair pay," he said.
Tisinger, though, countered that the workers only earn 40 to 50 cents for each 32-pound bucket they pick, meaning they make about $7,500 a year.
Chemistry graduate student and GAPSA member Kevin Jude added that managers at the farms were recently convicted of forced labor.
Tisinger added that GAPSA's resolution is part of a larger movement against Taco Bell, saying that 21 colleges and high schools have removed Taco Bell from their campuses because of unfair labor concerns.
The Penn administration has not issued an official position on the concerns over Taco Bell.
Facilities and Real Estate Services spokesman Tony Sorrentino acknowledged that he was aware of the complaints.
Sponsors of the resolution said they would support a different fast food chain coming to campus.
"There's a need for inexpensive food, and currently fast food companies are the best at providing that," Jude said. "The best solution would involve a mix of national and local brands."
He said the reason he was targeting Taco Bell in particular is that although "conditions aren't rosy everywhere else, [Taco Bell] is the bottom of the barrel."
Leslie, on the other hand, said that he opposes any fast food restaurant coming to Penn.
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