Vibeswatcher-?
Timekeeper-Julie L., Megan, Mike
Notetaker-Mike
Facilitator- Julie L. & Mike
Bottom Liner-?
Secretary-mostly Chandler, Megan
Webmaster-Mike
Code of Conduct bottomliner-Megan
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-This was Julie Lampe's last meeting! Julie is graduating and moving on. We wish her the best of luck and will miss her.
-There is still room on the bus for April 20-21 protests in DC (IMF/World Bank, anti-war, Justice for Palestine, No to Plan Columbia, and many other events). Email kentchange@yahoo.com if you are interested in going. Visit www.unitedwemarch.org for details.
-Julie G. emailed Native American Students Association about the Pow-wow and has not heard back from them yet. She will try calling them.
-The Kent Living Wage Coalition will be having their LAST meeting of the semester on Thursday, April 18th, @ 7:00 PM in Rm. 314 of the Student Center. Please try to be there.
-CHANGE endorsed the Kent State Anti-War Committee's May 4th protest. KSAWC meets every Monday at 7PM in Rm. 303 of the Student Center. For more info visit www.ksawc.org
-Mike needs to meet with Jaidra, Casey, and Dave to sort out some things regarding the aftermath of April 4. Please get in touch with Mike, mpesa@kent.edu
I. Fair Trade Coffee
II. Code of Conduct
III. Coca Cola Letter
Below is the letter we signed on to:
Douglas Daft
Dear Mr. Daft:
We, the undersigned national and local student leaders from campuses across the country, are concerned about the violence and human rights violations committed against Coca-Cola workers around the world. We believe that Coca-Cola has a responsibility to ensure that the rights and safety of all workers who produce, bottle and distribute Coca-Cola products are protected.
Recent news of the kidnapping, torture and murder of union workers at Coca-Cola bottling facilities in Colombia reminds us of Coke's history in Guatemala where union workers at a bottling facility there were assassinated in the 1970's and 80's. Again union workers in Guatemala are facing problems with Coke's bottlers while U.S. workers who produce Coca Cola's Minute Maid juices in Florida are subjected to extreme acts of intimidation and harassment. In fact, reports from Coca-Cola workers around the world suggest a pattern of human rights abuses that demands immediate attention.
As students, we make up a significant consumer base for Coca-Cola products. Coca-Cola is a fixture at many of our schools and we are alarmed by these reports. As representatives of student organizations pledged to activism in the name of social justice we will be informing our fellow students about what is going on at Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola has an opportunity now to be a true global leader. We demand that Coke take immediate action to address the violence that has devastated Coca-Cola bottling plant workers in Colombia and negotiate an enforceable global agreement that will protect the rights and safety of workers who produce, package and distribute its products with Coke unions and worker representatives.
Sincerely,
Coalition for a Humane And New Global Economy
IV. Night for Justice
V. Mexican Workers Speech (FAT)
This event will only be a success if there are people willing to do these things.
Please contact Mike Pesa or Meghan Johnson to get involved.
Next Week's Agenda...
I. Fair Trade Coffee
II. Code of Conduct
III. Coca Cola Letter
IV. Night for Justice
V. Mexican Workers Speech* (FAT) *Help needed: please read this item!
Any new food place on campus (including the proposed Library cafe) will be managed by Sodexho. We decided to meet with Andrea Spadownis (sp?) from Sodexho and propose that the coffee be fair trade and organic. We need a volunteer to meet with Andrea. Mike will contact Stephanie, but if anyone else wants to volunteer please contact Megan at 676-1943 or mlzimme1@kent.edu
The Code of Conduct Committe is meeting on Monday April 22, 2002 at 3:00pm. Megan felt that CHANGE needs to be more aggressive on checking up on the Code of Conduct. We agreed to make that a priority for next semester. The shirts are still not in yet. Also, no word on New Era.
CHANGE signed on to a letter being sent by various groups across the country to Coca Cola, regarding human/workers rights violations in their Latin American plants.
For more info on the issue, visit www.cokewatch.org/index.asp
Chairman
Coca-Cola Company
Kent State University, OH
At the request of Ethan Picman, CHANGE agreed to co-sponsor Anti-Racist Action's "Night for Justice". The Night for Justice is a politically-charged concert featuring musical artists Dead Prez, Bahamadia, and Sons of Ernesto.
The event is FREE and open to the public and takes place on Friday, April 26th, in the KSU Ballroom. Doors open at 7:00 PM, table set-up is at 6:30.
CHANGE will have a table at the event. If you can help at the table, please come to our next meeting or get in touch.
We are bringing two members of Mexico's independant FAT union, plus a member of a U.S. union (the UE) and an organizer from United Students Against Sweatshops to speak about international solidarity. The event will be held on Wed., April 24 at 2:00 PM in Rm. 122 of Satterfield Hall.
Mike is bottomlining the event, but we need lots of help on the following things:
-Flyering and promotion
-Notifying, unions, professors, and departments
-Fundraising
-Meeting with other groups
-Setting up the event
Visit www.kentchange.org for more details and watch that page for updates.
