Boycott Coke!

THE ILWU has voted to boycott US multinational Coca Cola after reports that it is behind the assassination of unionists in Colombia.

Delegates called for an end to US military aid to Colombia and then voted to have all Coca Cola machines in ILWU local halls removed.

William Mendoza, president of the local union at a Coca Cola plant (left) explained how right-wing paramilitary forces work with multi-nationals in his country to suppress unions:

"Three of my co-workers in our union were assassinated when they came together to discuss what contract terms we should have and bring to the bosses.

"In my hometown I have to go with two to three armed bodyguards. I have to wear day in and day out a bulletproof vest. At night, these guards have to remain at our home to prevent me or my family from being removed by para-militaries.

"Last year the paramilitary forces attempted to kidnap my daughter Karen, four years of age.

"Two days later I was called and told that I was a lucky guy because their attempt to assassinate her and to deliver her to me in a plastic bag was foiled."

Now the union is fighting back. It has filed a lawsuit against Coca-Cola in Florida and held popular tribunals putting Coca-Cola on trial in Atlanta, Brussels and Bogotá, Colombia. The tribunals found Coke guilty, so the union has now launched an international boycott Coke campaign.

Meanwhile the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has found that Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world to be a unionist.

In 2002, 184 unionists were assassinated, nine disappeared, 27 were kidnapped and 17 survived murder attempts. In addition, 80 chose exile and 139 were victims of arbitrary detention.

The MUA National Secretary told the conference that our union would fully support the resolutions.