Coca-Cola

When looking for one of the world's most violent and flagrant violators of human and workplace rights, you need look no further than your grocery store shelf.  Sadly, the beloved American brand Coca-Cola is associated with intimidation and murder in Colombia. The management at Colombian Coca-Cola plants commonly hire terrorist groups to eliminate supporters of organized labor. These groups frequently assault union supporters, using excessive violence as a way to intimidate them. Intimidation tactics frequently go as far as torturing and executing union members. The sickening practice of contracting terrorist groups to intimidate unionists has gone on for years. A report filed by Amnesty International found that between 1991 and 2006, 2,245 trade unionists have been killed, 3,400 were threatened, and 138 have “disappeared.” Colombian Coca-Cola plants have repeatedly proven themselves to be the most dangerous place in the world to be a union member. Despite all this resistance, the Colombian labor movement continues its struggle.

Recently, trade unionists in Colombia have received support from the United States, where many individuals and groups have chosen to boycott all Coca-Cola products until the company fixes the deplorable conditions that many of its employees have to work in. Recently added to the Coke Boycott is Smith College. The President of Smith College wrote a letter to Coca-Cola, notifying them that the school would be ending its fifty year relationship with the company. The President cited Coke’s flagrant abuse of its workforce as a justification for the boycott. Smith joins the nearly 30 other Colleges which have elected to end their business with Coke. Boycotts such as this have worked in the past on other multinational companies. Nike was forced to improve the working conditions of its employees after a large boycott, such as the one being brought against Coke, began to damage the company’s profits. As more people come to the defense of Coca-Cola’s workforce, we will hopefully see the company adopt a more responsible business strategy.

Read about the campaign to stop Coke’s crimes: Click Here