Editorial: Taco Bell's disrespect for students unacceptable

Six months ago the Associated Students of UCLA gave Taco Bell
Corp. an ultimatum: Prove your company does not use tomatoes grown
by companies alleged of using unfair labor practices, or leave
campus. Now it’s time to say good-bye.

Whether it simply doesn’t take UCLA’s request
seriously or it cannot prove its case, Taco Bell has failed to
demonstrate why it should be allowed to remain on campus.

The deadline to submit a report on the labor practices came and
went Monday, and Taco Bell missed it.

In the fall, students had presented their concerns about Taco
Bell to the ASUCLA board of directors, showing a mountain of
evidence that farm workers in southern Florida worked under abusive
and humiliating conditions that should not be tolerated.

But because Taco Bell does not specify exactly where it receives
its produce, questions remained as to whether Taco Bell actually
uses tomatoes produced by companies that were identified as having
abusive labor practices.

For that reason, Taco Bell was given five months to commission a
third party investigation on the situation in Florida. The company
requested an extension in April, but the request was denied.

Taco Bell never explained why it needed an extension or why it
failed to turn the report in on time, but maybe it doesn’t
really matter. After all, five months should be enough time to
investigate almost anything.

Yes, Taco Bell is fast.

Yes, Taco Bell is cheap.

But Taco Bell should realize UCLA can easily find another fast
food chain to fill space on campus.

In the end, it is as much about respecting students as it is
about the farm workers. If Taco Bell refuses to address student
concerns and work with ASUCLA, it should not have its contract
renewed for the next school year.