RUSU Fairtrade motion

This is the motion that passed in RUSU:

Proposed by Tom Chance, Campaigns Forum
Seconded by Phil Monk, Ethical and Environmental Officer

This Union notes:
i. that the Executive Report and Plan produced for the 2002/2003 session commits the Union "as a major goods provider" to "make a genuine contribution to developing communities through the promotion of fair trade goods" (section 2.1)
ii. that the Union shop, R U Being Served, currently has only a small range of fairtrade goods, and virtually no promotional materials
iii. that none of the coffee and chocolate machines in the Union currently offers a fairtrade option
iv. that fairly traded goods guarantee producers proper working conditions and pay, while non-fairtrade goods can condemn people to slavery, bonded labour, beatings and worse.
v. that the Campaigns Forum event in Cafe Mondial revealed considerable student support for more fairtrade goods in the Union, and demonstrated the ease with which fairtrade coffee and tea can be provided.

This Union believes:
i. that the Union has a responsibility to encourage ethical consumer choices, which includes promoting and making available fairtrade goods where possible
ii. that the existing policy is inadequate, and should be extended, in line with the Executive Report and Plan, to promote fairtrade goods to students

This Union resolves:
i. to promote fairtrade goods in the Union in line with the Executive Report and Plan
ii. to increase the range of fairtrade products in R U Being Served to include as many kinds of produce as possible
ii. to provide, where possible, fairtrade goods in situations where no choice is given students (e.g. coffee served in Cafe Mondial)
iv. to introduce clear labelling on shelves and large posters prominently displayed in the shop, cafe and bar explaining what fairtrade goods are and why students are encouraged to buy them.

(There was a fifth section in "resolves", saying that the union will stock vending machines with fairtrade goods, but it was removed in Council because the Union doesn't stock them, so we will have to lobby the suppliers)