 |
Campaign to Stop Killer Coke UpdateNewsletter July 20, 20041. Take Action July 22, International Day of Action Against Coca-Cola!
1. Take Action July 22, International Day of Action Against Coca-Cola!
You can also send letters to those listed below in section 2. You can find contact addresses of members of Coke's Board of Directors at www.corporatecampaign.org/killer-coke/board/cokedir.htm 2. URGENT ACTION: Dismissal of SINALTRAINAL Members (The situation at The Coca-Cola Co. bottling plants in Colombia is worsening. Coke has been given permission by the Social Protection Ministry to dismiss SINALTRAINAL workers. Below, Scott Nicholson asks for support for SINALTRAINAL President William Mendoza from U.S. unions if things further deteriorate. William asks supporters to protest this decision to the U.S. Embassy. In addition, the Campaign suggests that supporters contact Coke CEO and Chair E. Neville Isdell as well as other Coke policymakers and let them know that this kind of harassment of workers in his bottling plants will only exacerbate the situation and create a stronger movement against Coke because of its complicity in gross human rights abuses. All addresses are below) a. Excerpts, Report from Colombia by Scott Nicholson of the Community Action for Justice in the Americas, Montana The situation for the members of SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union) has become extremely critical. On July 13, the union saw a copy of the decision of the Social Protection (former Labor) Ministry regarding the third, and final, appeal of Coca-Cola FEMSA's request to dismiss another 63 members of SINALTRAINAL. The Ministry ruled in favor of Coke. Twenty days after the union is formally notified of the decision, the company will be able to dismiss more than 30 of the union workers. The other affected workers are union leaders who have union protection. In order to dismiss those union leaders, the company will have to formally request the removal of their union protection. That process can take as little as one month. So, the union could be eliminated from the Coke plants, and William Mendoza and Juan Carlos Galvis (among others) could be out of work and without security protection, in less than two months. SINALTRAINAL is asking that people in the U.S. put as much pressure as possible on Coke. In particular, they're asking for strong actions on July 22 - the International Day of Action Against Coca-Cola (which was declared by the World Social Forum). The union is concerned that as soon as members are no longer employed by Coke, they're sure that there will be more murders by the paramilitaries — that the paramilitaries are reluctant to kill their leaders as long as they continue to be employed by Coke — their deaths would create problems for the company. The following is the English translation of a message that William wrote this morning: b. National and International Communique Coca-Cola and the Social Protection (former Labor) Ministry are acting in complicity to deliver a precise blow to SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union). We're aware that the Ministry decided in favor of the Coca-Cola Corporation in the third, and final, appeal of the dismissal of 63 members of SINALTRAINAL. This decision, which completely violates the judicial process and has the clear complicity of the Social Protection Ministry, reaffirms the resolution to dismiss at least 30 of the 63 workers in this process. For the rest of us (approximately 30) union leaders, the company will begin the process to remove our union protection (fuero sindical) that protects us as union leaders from being dismissed. The judicial system in this country is now making its decisions based on politics rather than the law. The most likely outcome is that Coca-Cola (with its economic, political, and legal power) will apply pressure so that the decision comes out in its favor and it can dismiss the union leaders. This will then conclude the greatest infamy against an organization that struggles to improve the conditions of workers and in favor of the human rights of all Colombians. The only desire of the Alvaro Uribe government is to eliminate all the forms of organization of the Colombian people in order to impose a totalitarian regime. A regime in which the common denominator will be terror, hunger, and misery for the people, so that the rich can become even richer. We're calling on all our companeros (beloved companions) in the struggle, nationally and internationally, to support us in this difficult confrontation with one of the most violent and bloodthirsty corporations. We're calling on you to participate on July 22 - which was declared (by the World Social Forum) an international day of action against Coca-Cola. We're also asking that you protest to the U.S. embassy about the policies of this company that is a symbol of American empire and implements the scorched earth policies in these countries. Once again, we're glad that you're with us. Hasta la Victoria Siempre — Always, until Victory William Mendoza
E. Neville Isdell can be contacted at (404) 676-3808 or send a letter to him (See Samples Below). You can call Coke Spokesperson Lori Billingsley, Issues Director, Media Relations, at (404) 676-2683; her e-mail address is lbillingsley@na.ko.com. Sample Letters Mr. Neville Isdell
July 19, 2004 Dear Mr. Isdell: We are writing to you in protest of the action being taken by your related company, Coca-Cola FEMSA in Colombia, to dismiss 63 workers, among them 31 leaders of SINALTRAINAL (National Food Workers Union). They see this as a violation of Articles 18 and 91 of their collective bargaining agreement under which the workers must be relocated to other positions or transferred to other plants. We see this as violating the internationally recognized right of workers to freedom of association and nothing more than a move to eliminate the Union in Coca-Cola FEMSA. SINALTRAINAL says that Coca-Cola, with its economic, political and legal power is scheming with the Alvaro Uribe administration to negate the judicial process and get rid of the union by firing its leaders. Your company has already pressured more than 500 workers from their employment. A prolonged reign of paramilitary terror at Coca-Cola has resulted in nine workers being killed, 67 placed under death threat. Many have suffered attempted murder, kidnappings, forced displacement and deadly attacks on their families. The company is also allegedly implicated in the burning of a union office by Paramilitaries. Such are the issues involved in the suit filed by SINALTRAINAL in the Southern District Court of Florida against the Coca-Cola bottlers. Responding to the current attempt to destroy the Union, one SINALTRAINAL leader warned, "If we lose the fight against Coca-Cola, we will first lose our union, next our jobs and then our lives." The truth of that statement may be imminent. Another Union leader now personally states that if the firings take place and the union is broken, "it makes things very complicated for me - in terms of my security. This decision removes any political cost to the Paramilitaries who would assassinate me." Your company must stop the union busting, observe the workers' right to belong to their union, stop the arbitrary dismissals and put a stop to the reign of paramilitary terror. We implore you to discontinue this prelude to a tragedy. If this union-busting scheme plays out, the blood of the workers will be on Company hands and will stain the famous trademark of Coca-Cola wherever the product is marketed. The world is watching. Sincerely, Above letter should be sent also to: Steven Heyer (FEMSA Board Member)
E-mail c/o:
Juan Manuel Arbelaez
Ambassador William Wood
Dear Mr. Ambassador, We have sent the attached letter to the executives of Coca-Cola and we are asking our representatives in Congress for their help in this matter. We urge your immediate action to keep a tragedy from occurring. There is no doubt in our minds that if the company persists in violating the legal rights of the workers and the internationally recognized right of the workers to have a union of their choice, a violent outcome perpetrated by the Paramilitaries will take place. The Paramilitaries, strengthened by collusion with the military have acted with the company in the past. Their terrorism will be emboldened if the company succeeds in its ploy to break the union. Our brothers and sisters at Coca-Cola in Colombia who stand up for their rights and defend their collective bargaining agreement are marked for death. Surely, you, as Ambassador, can look into this matter and keep Coca-Cola from putting yet one more stain on U.S. corporate action abroad, which consequently reflects on the reputation of our nation. We hope for your effective cooperation in this matter. Please inform us of your response to this gathering storm of emergency. Sincerely, Members of Congress letter: Dear _____________________, We have made the attached plea to the Coca-Cola Company on behalf of our endangered union brothers and sisters in Colombia. In seeking to stem a tragedy, we have also called upon Ambassador William Wood to take action. Would you please help us in this matter by contacting the Ambassador and the company informing them of your concern with this issue and with the human and trade union rights it involves. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. Sincerely 3. Susan Bennett King; Another Coke Policymaker Resigns Susan Bennett King Resigned from Coke's board on July 12. She is the fourth Coke policymaker to resign in the past three months: Associated Press
Citing health reasons, Susan Bennett King resigned from the Coca-Cola Co. board, effective Monday. King, who is 64 years old, served on the Atlanta-based soft-drink giant's compensation committee and its committee on directors and corporate governance. Coke's board, which is left with 15 directors following King's departure, will decide whether to fill her post at its upcoming board meeting on July 22, the company said. King, who is known for her work as a mentor to women in business, joined the Coke board in 1991. King was president of Corning Inc.'s Steuben Glass division from 1987 through March 1992. More recently, she served as chairman of the Leadership Initiative, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University. In a memo to employees, Coke chairman and chief executive Neville Isdell said King has been "an exemplary leader for the Coca-Cola Company and is a role model for countless professionals and students." 4. Reports in Response to Coke's Lies Here are three links responding to Coke's lies that can be found in our Reports section at: http://www.killercoke.org/reports.htm): a. Case Against Coke Bottlers Can Continue, April 1, 2003
b. Response to Coke's Denial - Apr. 15, 2003
c. The Campaign's Response to Killer Coke's Lies - Sept. 2003
|
Campaign to Stop KILLER COKEWe are seeking your help to stop a gruesome cycle of murders, kidnappings, and torture of union leaders and organizers involved in daily life-and-death struggles at Coca-Cola bottling plants in Colombia, South America. "If we lose the fight against Coca-Cola, we will first lose our union, next our jobs and then our lives." SINALTRAINAL VIce President Juan Carlos Galvis Please donate to the Campaign. Learn the truth about The Coca-Cola Co. "We believe the evidence shows that Coca-Cola and its corporate network are rife with immorality, corruption and complicity in murder." |