Excerpts from Scott Nicholson's Report from Colombia:

The situation for the members of SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union) has become extremely critical. On July 13, the union saw a copy of the decision of the Social Protection (former Labor) Ministry regarding the third, and final, appeal of Coca-Cola FEMSA's request to dismiss another 63 members of SINALTRAINAL. The Ministry ruled in favor of Coke. Twenty days after the union is formally notified of the decision, the company will be able to dismiss more than 30 of the union workers.

The other affected workers are union leaders who have union protection. In order to dismiss those union leaders, the company will have to formally request the removal of their union protection. That process can take as little as one month. So, the union could be eliminated from the Coke plants, and William Mendoza and Juan Carlos Galvis (among others) could be out of work and without security protection, in less than two months.

SINALTRAINAL is asking that people in the U.S. put as much pressure as possible on Coke. In particular, they're asking for strong actions on July 22 - the International Day of Action Against Coca-Cola (which was declared by the World Social Forum). The union is concerned that as soon as members are no longer employed by Coke, they're sure that there will be more murders by the paramilitaries - that the paramilitaries are reluctant to kill their leaders as long as they continue to be employed by Coke - their deaths would create problems for the company.

The following is the English translation of a message that William wrote this morning.

Coca-Cola and the Social Protection (former Labor) Ministry are acting in complicity to deliver a precise blow to SINALTRAINAL (National Food Industry Workers Union). We're aware that the Ministry decided in favor of the Coca-Cola Corporation in the third, and final, appeal of the dismissal of 63 members of SINALTRAINAL.

This decision, which completely violates the judicial process and has the clear complicity of the Social Protection Ministry, reaffirms the resolution to dismiss at least 30 of the 63 workers in this process. For the rest of us (approximately 30) union leaders, the company will begin the process to remove our union protection (fuero sindical) that protects us as union leaders from being dismissed. The judicial system in this country is now making its decisions based on politics rather than the law. The most likely outcome is that Coca-Cola (with its economic, political, and legal power) will apply pressure so that the decision comes out in its favor and it can dismiss the union leaders. This will then conclude the greatest infamy against an organization that struggles to improve the conditions of workers and in favor of the human rights of all Colombians. The only desire of the Alvaro Uribe government is to eliminate all the forms of organization of the Colombian people in order to impose a totalitarian regime. A regime in which the common denominator will be terror, hunger, and misery for the people, so that the rich can become even richer. We're calling on all our companeros (beloved companions) in the struggle, nationally and internationally, to support us in this difficult confrontation with one of the most violent and bloodthirsty corporations. We're calling on you to participate on July 22 — which was declared (by the World Social Forum) an international day of action against Coca-Cola. We're also asking that you protest to the U.S. embassy (AmbassadorB@state.gov or ACS_Bogota@state.gov) about the policies of this company that is a symbol of American empire and implements the scorched earth policies in these countries.

Once again, we're glad that you're with us.

Hasta la Victoria Siempre - Always, until Victory

William Mendoza