Some student senators had a bone to pick with Aramark, UF's food provider, Tuesday night.
Progress Party Sen. Dave Schneider and Unite Party Sen. Megan Vu both presented resolutions taking stands against the treatment of workers for Aramark's suppliers.
A resolution is a piece of legislation that expresses the views of the Student Senate but takes no action.
Schneider, who represents Rawlings Hall, presented a resolution that encouraged Aramark to negotiate a wage increase for workers who pick the tomatoes Aramark purchases.
Schneider said the farmers have faced long hours, poor working conditions and cases of slavery.
Orange and Blue Party Sen. Jonathan Ossip agreed, adding the bill presented a human rights issue. He said Aramark's other practices on campus, including its promotion of meal plans, needed to be examined.
Unite Party Sen. Jason Cornman said the resolution should be rewritten so it didn't imply that all Florida farmers were treating their workers poorly.
The resolution failed 26 to 22.
"The thing I really came to realize tonight is that there is a wing of Senate that is dedicated to burning any kind of bridge we can have with the rest of Florida and the national and global community," Schneider said.
Vu, who represents District A, presented a second resolution that encouraged Aramark to take action against its uniform provider, W&D Apparel, which has been convicted by the U.S. State Department of confining and exposing workers to poor conditions.
Vu said the issue relates to students because every dollar they spend on food could be contributing to these "horrible conditions."
"We have the consumer power here," Vu said.
An amendment was added to the resolution to allow it to be sent to other public universities to encourage them to support it.
Vu's resolution passed.
