Two Resolutions to Boycott Coca-Cola Products

Adopted by the Executive Council of the
Union of Clerical and Technical Workers of NYU (UCATS), Local 3882,
American Federation of Teachers, NYSUT, AFL-CIO

Passed: March 8, 2005

Our union represents the 1700 clerical and technical workers at New York University, and although we've banned Coke products for a while, and first wrote of the international boycott in our newsletter back in 2003, we passed these resolutions as a way of saluting the students activists of the NYU Kick Coke campaign.

1) Resolution to Boycott Coca-Cola Products

Adopted by the Executive Council of the Union of Clerical and Technical Workers of NYU (UCATS), Local 3882, American Federation of Teachers, NYSUT, AFL-CIO
March 8, 2005

WHEREAS Coca-Cola has bottling plants world-wide in many underdeveloped countries, and

WHEREAS many of these plants are in countries ruled by autocratic regimes or governments that owe their existence to U.S. governmental support, and

WHEREAS in Colombia, where Coke has a bottling plant, the U.S. government provides millions of dollars annually as well as military assistance to defeat insurgent forces, and

WHEREAS Coca-Cola has collaborated with the Colombian government to target union activists, and

WHEREAS union activists at the Coca-Cola plant have been assassinated by right-wing paramilitary groups, and

WHEREAS union activists in Colombia and throughout the world are calling on their union brothers and sisters to boycott Coca-Cola,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UCATS, in solidarity with our union brothers and sisters fighting for basic democratic and trade union rights, calls upon its members to avoid purchasing Coca-Cola products (including soda, water, sports drinks, etc.) and

FINALLY BE IT RESOLVED that UCATS publicize this issue on its website and through other media at its disposal

2) PROPOSED RESOLUTION ON COCA-COLA FOR NYSUT 20005 RA NYSUT, Colombia and Coca-Cola

WHEREAS, more than 3,000 trade unionists have been assassinated in Colombia since 1990; and

WHEREAS, both NYSUT and the AFT are on record as denouncing what the AFT Executive Counsel has called "the persistent violence against teachers and other working people in Colombia", noting "...that trade unionists continue to be the targets of threats, physical intimidation, displacement and even assassination.";

WHEREAS, the Coca-Cola Company and its Colombian bottlers are being sued in the United States 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 or otherwise silenced trade union leaders.";

WHEREAS, a fact-finding delegation of labor, educator and student representatives led by New York City Council member Hiram Monserrate and including members of AFT, AFSCME/CSEA and CWA concluded, based on a 10-day trip to Colombia in January of 2004, that Coca-Cola is complicit in human rights abuses in Colombia" and that its "complicity is deepened by its repeated pattern of bringing criminal charges against union activists who have spoken out about the company's collusion with the paramilitaries.";

WHEREAS, the Proxy Committees of the New York City Employees' Retirement System and the New York City Teachers' Retirement System, holders of 5,257.217 shares of Coca-Cola Company common stock with an estimated market value of $209,132,092, resolved on October 6, 2004 to submit a shareholder proposal at Coca-Cola's next annual meeting asking that Coca-Cola sponsor an independent investigation of allegations against the company, said investigation to include representatives from U.S and Colombian human rights organizations;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that NYSUT will no longer serve or sell Coca-Cola products at its offices or at its meetings;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NYSUT recommends to all its affiliates that they not serve or sell Coca-Cola products at their offices or at their meetings;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that NYSUT recommends that no Coca-Cola products be served or sold at venues for NYSUT meetings, conferences and conventions.