Resolution to Hold SunTrust Banks/Coca-Cola Accountable for Human Rights Abuses of Colombian Union Leaders

Communications Workers of America Resolution to Hold SunTrust Banks/Coca-Cola Accountable for Human Rights Abuses of Colombian Union Leaders

WHEREAS, United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO and the International Labor Rights Fund have filed a lawsuit under the Alien Tort Claims Act against The Coca-Cola Co. and its Colombian bottlers that charges that Coca-Cola bottlers "contracted with or otherwise directed paramilitary security forces that utilized extreme violence and murdered, tortured, unlawfully detained or otherwise silenced trade union leaders." The lawsuit was filed on behalf of SINALTRAINAL, the National Union of Food Industry Workers of Colombia, several of its members and the estate of Isidro Gil, one of its murdered officers.

WHEREAS, New York City Council Member Hiram Monserrate led a delegation of labor, student and academic representatives on a 10-day fact finding tour in Colombia to investigate Coca-Cola's alleged human rights violations. Included in the delegation were representatives of AFSCME/CSEA, AFT and CWA locals.

WHEREAS, the delegation's final report released in April concluded that "Coca-Cola is complicit in human right abuses of its workers in Colombia" — and 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 paramilitaries."

WHEREAS, top policymakers and corporate structures of The Coca-Cola Co. and SunTrust Banks are so intertwined, it is difficult to distinguish one from the other;

WHEREAS, five present and former CEOs of The Coca-Cola System and SunTrust Banks, Inc. as well as other top policymakers serve as top policymakers of both Coca-Cola and SunTrust Banks, Inc.;

WHEREAS, SunTrust Banks, Inc. owns more than 5% of The Coca-Cola Company's common stock and provides hundreds of millions of dollars in loans to the Coca-Cola Co.

BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, supports the "Unthinkable! Undrinkable!" petition campaign directed at Coca-Cola's Board of Directors and will communicate to SunTrust Banks, Inc. that unless the Alien Tort Claims Act lawsuit is settled by October 15 and the safety and rights of workers in the Coca-Cola Colombian bottling plants are protected, the CWA will support SINALTRAINAL's divestment and boycott campaign against SunTrust Banks, Inc and will urge our members to do the same.

Passed at The CWA 2004 International Convention, Aug. 31, 2004