Discussion with Javier Correa, Colombian Coca-Cola Workers' Union President
Correa, president of SINALTRAINAL - the union that represents Coca-Cola bottlers in Colombia, will be in the Pioneer Valley to shed light on the role that educational institutions play in supporting Coca-Cola's human rights violations in Colombia and around the world.
In Colombia, Coca-Cola unionists and their family members are kidnapped, tortured and murdered to increase profits. Last year, Colombian government officials provided documents describing Coca-Cola's criminal behavior to UMass officials, who went ahead and signed another exclusive contract with Coca-Cola.
Having exhausted all legal avenues in Colombia, on July 22, 2003 an international boycott of Coca-Cola products was called by SINALTRAINAL (Colombian Food and Drink Workers' Union) and supported by the World Social Forum, the CUT and the CGTD (principle trade union federations in Colombia), and numerous social organizations around the world.
"We are doing this to save the lives of our members," declared Colombian union leader Javier Luis Correa.
This is a free event - all are welcome.
Sponsored by: Kick Coke Off campaign at UMass Amherst, United Students Against Sweatshops & the United Steelworkers of America
Co-sponsors include: American Friends Service Committee, Greensboro Justice Fund, Radical Student Union, SAGE, Solidaridad Colombia, UMass Labor Center, Western MA Jobs with Justice