No promises were made as corporate representatives from Aramark met with members of the Student/Farmworker Alliance Tuesday to discuss the treatment of Immokalee workers, who pick tomatoes for Aramark.
The members of the alliance presented the demands of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to the Aramark representatives.
The two alliances want Aramark to pay an extra penny per pound for the Immokalee tomatoes it purchases.
The money would be passed directly to workers as a wage increase.
The alliance also wants Aramark and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers to create a human rights-based code of conduct to ensure fair treatment of Immokalee workers.
SFA member Richard Blake said he felt Aramark approached the meeting as if it was meant to encourage dialogue rather than produce concrete outcomes or promises.
“I think their intention was to pacify,” he said.
In an e-mail, Aramark Vice President of Corporate Affairs Rick Martella, who flew from Philadelphia to speak to the alliance, said he appreciated the dialogue he had with the students but noted that it will take time to work through these issues.
“We clearly understand and respect the commitment of the University of Florida SFA and will reconnect with them directly in the upcoming weeks to provide any updates,” he said.
