CIW wins

CIW supporters left Senate victorious Tuesday night. A resolution urging dialogue between the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Aramark, the university's food distributor, passed 21-8.

"All that we are asking is for conversations between these organizations to take place," said Sen. Rosa Mendoza, author and sponsor of the resolution.

This is the second time Senate has discussed a resolution regarding the CIW, which supports the rights of farmworkers. In December, a similar resolution failed. The main concern at that time was the language of the resolution, which was much more demanding.

Sen. Jasmine Villanueva felt this new resolution's tone was much more appropriate.

"We as a senate, when this was first brought about, said that the wording was too strong. I feel like they fixed what we didn't like," Villanueva said.

Aramark did not have a representative at the Senate meeting.

Sen. Casey Gallatin did not support the resolution. "I am going to represent the other people of the university. I am strongly against this resolution. If they (farmworkers) are not getting what they deserve, then they can go out and get what they want somewhere else. They can go get a new job."

During her two minutes to conclude, Mendoza asked fellow senators to put politics aside and "go back to the basics" when they voted.

"Put everything aside in that perfect little world that I ask you to enter. These are people who deserve a better life," Mendoza said.

Senate passing the resolution shows the Student Body's support of the issue, but does not make a direct change.