Unthinkable, undrinkable
Coca Cola's exploitation and murder

On July 22, tens of thousands of unionists around the world joined an 
international day of protest against the gross violations by the Coca Cola 
company of human rights in Columbia. Colombia's National Union of Food 
Industry Workers, calling for a boycott of Coca Cola products, accused the 
company of using death squads to get rid of union activists.

Coca-Cola's subsidiary in Colombia, Pan-American Beverage, has been 
implicated in the killing of nine workers. Two others have been exiled and 
48 other workers have being forcibly placed into exile. Other workers have 
been imprisoned for their union activities.

The boycott has the support of Colombia's main trade union federation, the 
CUT.

A major protest in Australia was organised by the Victorian Trades Hall 
Council where hundreds rallied in Melbourne's Federation Square.

Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, Leigh Hubbard, said the 
multi-national company should be held to account for the corporate 
behaviour of all of its subsidiaries around the world.

"The parent company, Coca-Cola in Atlanta in the United States, cannot 
continue to absolve itself of any responsibility for the violation of human 
rights by its franchisees in a number of countries around the world.

"This is the dark side of globalisation. The murder and intimidation of 
trade unionists in countries like Colombia, Guatemala, the Philippines and 
many others will not be tolerated by workers and trade unionists", Mr 
Hubbard said.

At the Melbourne rally Mr Hubbard urged workers in Victoria to refrain from 
buying Coca-Cola products for a day as a gesture of solidarity with trade 
unionists in Colombia.

"While we don't endorse an on-going boycott of Coke products, we are 
supporting this international day of action. We would ask the general 
public to spare a thought for the working people of Colombia who face daily 
intimidation and violence at the hands of paramilitary thugs", Mr Hubbard 
said.

In the US, the United Steelworkers of America and the International Labour 
Rights Fund have filed a suit in a US court against Coca Cola on behalf of 
Colombia's National Union of Food Industry Workers.