Boycott coca cola!! Say no to Plan Colombia!! U.S. out of Colombia!

Boycott coca cola!! Say no to Plan Colombia!! U.S. out of Colombia!

EMERGENCY PICKET: Friday, July 22, 2005, 4:30-6:00 pm @ the Coke Bottling Company, 1348 47th Street, San Diego

This Friday marks the two-year anniversary of the official launch of the campaign against Coca-Cola. Tomorrow, Friday, July 22, the International Action Center and F.I.S.T. - Fight Imperialism Stand Together will hold an emergency picket in front of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in order to show their outrage at the massive torture and murder of children, women, and union leaders sweeping the besieged country of Colombia.

As the U.S. government negotiates with bombs, major U.S. multinational corporations are following suit: The Coca-Cola bottler, Pan American Beverages (Panamco) has been hiring terrorist paramilitary groups such as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) to murder union leaders that fight for better living standardsOur struggle keeps the pressure on in behalf of all Coca Cola workers struggling for justice. Please join us to say NO to Coca-Cola's corporate terror. STOP U.S. TERRORISM IN COLOMBIA!

For more information: call 619-692-4422

EMAIL COCA-COLA: We wouldn’t want Coke to forget it’s our anniversary! Send emails to Ed Potter, Head of Global Labor Relations epotter@na.ko.com and Clyde Tuggle Director of Worldwide Public Affairs ctuggle@na.ko.com. Remind them that the whole world is watching, that we will not forget Coke’s crimes in Colombia or India, and that it is time for them to clean up their act!

Killer Coke’s history

In the United States, Coke has a history of discriminating against African Amer icans. In June 2000 the corporation settled a class-action lawsuit with over 1,500 Black workers. There was massive evidence of unequal pay, biased promotions, a racially hostile work environment and retaliation against workers who aired grievances, according to the book “War in Colombia: Made In USA.” (www.leftbooks.com)

In Colombia, Coke’s main Latin Amer ican bottler, Panamco, is charged with hiring right-wing paramilitaries to assassinate and terrorize union leaders, their loved ones and their communities. (www. killercoke.org)

Since 1989, at least eight union leaders from Coke’s bottling plants in Colombia have been murdered by paramilitary for ces. In the United States, the Steel Workers union is suing Coke and Pana mco under the Alien Claims Tort Act for having “contracted with or otherwise directed paramilitary security forces that used extreme violence and murdered, tortured, and unlawfully detained trade union leaders.” (www.uswa.org)

More than 3,000 labor unionists have been assassinated in Colombia since 1990. In the recent period, many U.S-based corporations and the U.S. imperialist government, mostly through Plan Colombia, have worked hand-in-glove with the Colombian government and ruling class to perpetuate this terrorism.

Some 63 percent of the people of Colo mbia live in poverty—25 percent in abject misery.

But international unity and solidarity with Colombian unions is building rapidly:

* In April, the Representative Assembly of the 525,000-member New York State United Teachers union, an affiliate of the Federation of Teachers, adopted a resolution to refrain from serving or selling Coke products at its offices, events or meetings. (www.nysut.org)

* In recent months federations, labor councils, and unions across the United States have passed scores of resolutions to protest Coke’s labor and human-rights violations, banning Coke machines and pro ducts from union halls, and demanding schools remove Coke machines. The unions include various locals of the Postal Workers, California Federation of Teach ers, Communication Workers, Service Employees, Auto Workers, and Steel Workers. Many Canadian and British union locals have passed similar resolutions. (www.killercoke.org)

* Bowing to massive student pressure, Rutgers University in New Jersey did not renew Coke’s exclusive beverage contract, effective June 1, 2005. Active campaigns to ban Coke are now under way at over 30 campuses in the United States and other countries.

* An “International Campaign to Hold Coca-Cola Accountable” workshop was held at the World Social Forum at Porto Alegre, Brazil in January. There, over 500 activists learned about ways to protest Killer Coke and support Colombian unionists. (www.iacenter.org)

Motisola Abdallah, an African Amer ican woman and one of the original four plaintiffs who brought the discrimination lawsuit against Coke in 1999, sums up the Killer Coke struggle: “I’m happy that the struggle against Coca-Cola is long-term and global. It proves that workers wherever they live are all in this together. A corporation like Coca-Cola isn’t just unfair to its workers in one place. Injustice runs throughout a business where profit is the driving motivation.

“Anyone fighting for justice can’t give up. Together we can bring change, real harmony, real justice.” (War in Colombia)

Boycott coca cola!! Say no to Plan Colombia!! U.S. Out of Colombia!

1. People in Solidarity with Colombia Stop the Bush/Uribe State Terrorism in Colombia! Boycott Killer Coke! No to Plan Colombia!

EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION Friday, July 22 4-630pm @ the offices of Coca-Cola 711 5th Ave. b/t 55th & 56th Streets

On Friday, July 22, the IAC and Troops Out Now Coalition along with others will hold an emergency demonstration in front of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company in order to show their outrage at the massive torture and murder of children, women, and union leaders sweeping the besieged country of Colombia.

For more information: www.TroopsOutNow.org or call 212.633.6646 39 West 14th St. Room 206 New York, NY 10011

PRAISE AND PRESSURE HOFSTRA Hofstra University’s exclusive contract is up for renewal this August. The formal decision has not been made yet, but the student, faculty, and administrative community has taken a very strong stance against the Coke contract. Let’s make sure President Stuart Rabinowitz understands just how important his decision is to the international community. Call and email his office, make sure to leave your name and what university/organization you represent if any, praise Hofstra’s student movement, and don’t forget to tell them what you think about Coke! President Stuart Rabinowitz Phone: (516) 463-6800 E-mail: president@hofstra.edu

BANNER DROPS Make and drop a banner in your city or town!!! Remember to take pictures!!

STREET DANCE PARTAY IN NEW YORK CITY!!!!!! Get down with the Anti-Coke crew!!! Dress theme: Hot and Steamy!! Just like the Campaign!! We’ll be meeting in front of the Colombian Consulate at 7pm and will be shakin’ our booties all the way down to Time Square…. Then to the subway and the Colombian community in Jackson Heights Queens!! Bring extra tunes for the boom box! ALL are welcome! Colombian Consulate: 10 East 46th St. between 5th and Madison. For more info call Vanessa at 516-724-1510.