After the machine-gunning of a unionist’s family in Colombia (the union, SINALTRAINAL being one that is trying to negotiate with Coca Cola, and one that has seen quite a few of its unionists murdered by paramilitaries in the employ of Coca Cola’s bottlers over the past few years), some activists took things to the shareholder’s meeting yesterday. The full story below…
Coca-Cola faces down shareholder revolt and ejects protester
The Guardian David Teather in New York Thursday April 22, 2004
Coca-Cola yesterday faced down a shareholder rebellion at its annual meeting as well as protests from human rights activists which led to one being forcibly removed…
Reports from the annual meeting in Wilmington, Delaware, said shareholders looked stunned as security guards wrestled the human rights activist, Ray Rogers, to the ground. He had been shouting and swearing at Coke chairman and chief executive Douglas Daft. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson said the force used looked excessive.
Mr Rogers had been accusing Coke of violating human rights in Colombia. Legal filings in US courts have claimed that the company and its Colombian bottlers have hired rightwing death squads to intimidate unions at the plants. They claim nine union organisers have been killed in the past decade. Mr Daft said yesterday that the charges “are false and outrageous”.
Other protesters alleged that the company’s bottling plants in India are depleting water supplies in local communities and causing pollution with discharged materials…
Campaign to Stop Killer Coke – www.killercoke.org adds
Dear Campaign Supporters:
1. Yesterday, the Campaign to Stop Killer Coke successfully demonstrated at Coke’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Wilmington, Delaware. The protest generated extensive media coverage – a few samples are linked below. A highlight of the Washington Post article describes that Coke CEO Douglas Daft suppressed an independent investigation of the charges regarding Coke’s abuses in Colombia (if you do not get a “hot” link, copy and past the web addresses below):
Washington Post: www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32875-2004Apr21.html
Atlanta Journal Constitution: www.ajc.com/business/content/business/coke/0404/21speaker.html
Atlanta Business Chronicle: atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2004/04/19/daily30.html?jst=b_ln_hl
2. In addition, the following link will bring you to a radio piece produced by Workers Independent News Service. This requires an MP3 player and is best heard on a high-speed internet connection: www.laborradio.org/audio/features/mp3/winsfeat042304.mp3
3. We have added several photos of the demonstration to our Protest Pics section.
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Campaign to Stop Killer Coke
http://www.killercoke.org
stopkillercoke@aol.com
(212) 979-8320
