Colombia is not a safe place to be a trade unionist.
Over the last 12 years, at least 2,500 unionists have been killed by right-wing paramilitaries. These paramilitaries are working with the full knowledge of the government and are backed by the large multinational companies in Colombia.
The campaign against organised unions doesn’t end with murder. There are disappearances, kidnappings and daily intimidation.
The union covering food and beverage workers, SINALTRAINAL, has found itself particularly in the firing line. SINALTRAINAL covers the workers in Coca-Cola bottling factories. Eight unionists have been gunned down in recent years, often at the machines in the factories. There has also been systematic kidnappings and intimidation to break the union and drive down wages and conditions.
In the United States, the Steelworkers Union has brought a case against Coca-Cola, in solidarity with the Colombian workers. However, the company is hiding behind the fact that the bottling company is not an official part of the Coca-Cola.
A 1980s boycott of Coke eventually brought some changes in policy in Guatemala. SINALTRAINAL has called for a similar international campaign in solidarity with the Colombian workers.
Part of that campaign is a boycott of Coke products, but equally important is the spreading of information and the linking of the campaign to the broader movements against capitalist globalisation.
The last World Social Forum endorsed July 22 as a day of international action against Coca-Cola and the beginning of the boycott.
In Australia there is a Colombia Demands Justice campaign that Socialist Alliance activists have been building. The SA national executive has decided to support the campaign and is encouraging SA members to participate in and publicise campaign demonstrations and meetings in every way they can.
There is growing trade union support for the campaign and Socialist Alliance urges its members and others to publicise in their workplaces the brutal attacks on our fellow unionists in Colombia, and to pass motions of support for the campaign through their union branches and committees.
As part of the July 22 international day of action to “Stop killer
Coke”, actions will be held in:
Melbourne - 5pm, Federation Square, city.
Sydney - 5pm, Coca-Cola Amatil National Office, 71 Circular Quay East.
For more information, visit the www.socialist-alliance.org, or contact
Carlene Wilson on (03) 9384 6960 or click here to email her at kolontai@rocketmail.com