January 24th 2006                              64LCB#1 Reversal of California Table Grape Boycott

 

Sponsored by:                          Stephanie Jilling                        Representative-at-Large

                                                Mebraht Gebre-Michael           Tri-executive

                                                Katie Wolf                               1st Vice-President

 

Authored by:                            Stephanie Jilling                        Representative-at-Large

 

A Bill

Bill History

 

On February 12th 1987, UCSU Legislative Council voted 10-1-1 to join Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers’ (UFW) 1985 boycott of California table grapes.  By joining the boycott, UCSU agreed to ban the “sale or use of table grapes in all student-fee funded facilities at CU-Boulder.”  The boycott was in protest of the use of toxic pesticides on California table grapes, as well as the negative effects these pesticides had on consumers, migrant farm workers and their children.  The UFW hoped the boycott would increase enforcement of California agricultural laws restricting the use of toxic pesticides.  In the following years, many of the goals of the boycott were met.  According to the UFW, three of the five most toxic chemicals—Dinoseb, Parathion, and Phosdrin—were completely banned.  The fourth—methyl bromide—was set to be banned in 2005, and the fifth—Captan—has been severely restricted.  As a result the UFW called off the California table grape boycott in November 2000.    

Bill Summary

 

Since the University of Colorado is one of the only remaining participants of the California table grape boycott, and considering the above mentioned boycott was officially called off in November 2000 by the UFW, the UCSU wishes to overturn the 1987 UCSU bill banning table grapes from being sold or used in student-fee funded facilities at CU-Boulder. 

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED by the Legislative Council of the University of Colorado Student Union, THAT,

 

SECTION 1:  The University of Colorado at Boulder is no longer part of the 1985 boycott of California table grapes, which was officially called off by the United Farm Workers in November 2000.

 

SECTION 2:  The sale or use of table grapes is no longer banned in all student-fee funded facilities at CU-Boulder.

 

SECTION 3:  While the UCSU will no longer be a part of the 1985 California Table

               Grape Boycott, it will continue to support farm workers’ rights.

 

  

SECTION 4:  ENACTMENT. This bill takes effect upon passage upon passage by the Legislative Council and upon obtaining the signatures of the Legislative Council President and the Tri-Executives.

 

1/26/03                        Passed                                                             Acclamation

2/2/03                          Passed                                                             14-0-0